The World Flora Online

Arbustes buissonnants à grands arbres, plus rarement lianes (hors de l’Afrique) ou herbes terrestres, hémi-épiphytes ou grimpants (hors de l’Afrique), monocaules ou à axes ramifiés, habituellement pachycaules, sempervirents ou décidus (hors de l’Afrique), hermaphrodites ou andromonoïques, rarement dioïques ou andromonoïques (hors de l’Afrique), glabres ou vêtus de divers types d’indument, à canaux sécréteurs schizogènes. Stipules absentes ou parfois ligulés. Feuilles alternes (rarement opposées hors de l’Afrique), fréquemment hétéroblastiques ; pétiole habituellement présent (rarement nul), souvent engainant à la base (parfois ailé) ; limbe entier à 3-lobé, palmatilobé ou pennilobé, ou composé palmé ou penné (bipenné ou tripenné hors de l’Afrique), à marge entière, crénelée, dentée ou incisée ; nervation pennée ou palmée. Inflorescences terminales, parfois pseudo-axillaires, rarement axillaires, paniculées, en ombelle composée ou simple, les unités ultimes formées d’ombellules, de capitules, de racémules ou d’épillets, fleurs rarement solitaires (hors de l’Afrique) ; bractées petites à foliacées (parfois absentes), souvent caduques. Fleurs parfaites (parfois staminées ou pistillées hors de l’Afrique), actinomorphes ; bractéoles présentes ou absentes ; périanthe habituellement avec (3)5 à 8(12) éléments ; calice à lobes petits ou formant un anneau tronqué ; pétales valvaires ou calyptriformes (parfois imbriqués hors de l’Afrique), larges à la base ; étamines isomères ou plus nombreux que les pétales (3 à 250 +), en 1 (et dans ce cas alternipétales) ou plusieurs cycles, filets filiformes (à courts et robustes), infléchis dans le bouton, anthères dorsifixes, introrses, tétrasporangiées (parfois octosporangiées chez Plerandra hors de l’Afrique), déhiscentes en fentes longitudinales ; disque présent, épigyne, nectarifère ; ovaire infère (semi-infère ou supère chez certains Polyscias hors de l’Afrique), 2- à 9-carpellé (1-carpellé ou avec jusqu’à 100+ carpelles hors de l’Afrique), chaque carpelle uniloculaire, à placentation apicale, ovules anatropes, pendants, 1 par loge, à 1 tégument, crassinucellé, rarement tenuinucellé ; styles libres ou partiellement à entièrement connés, parfois renflés à la base formant un stylopode et confluents avec le disque ou stigmates sessiles. Fruits simples (parfois multiples hors de l’Afrique), charnus ou secs (chez Hydrocotyle), drupacé ou en baie à mésocarpe charnu et à endocarpe (pyrène) séparé, entourant chaque loge, à sclérifications variées ou un schizocarpe à deux méricarpes, sans carpophores (chez Hydrocotyle ainsi que d’autres genres hors de l’Afrique), 1 à plusieurs canaux sécréteurs associés à chaque brin vasculaire. Graines droites ; endosperme copieux, oléagineux, uniforme ou diversement ruminé ; embryon petit, mais bien différencié.

Famille à large répartition, mais particulièrement riche et diversifiée dans les régions tropicales et subtropicales de l’Asie, de l’Océanie, de l’Amérique centrale et australe, de l’Afrique et de Madagascar, regroupant 46 genres et presque 2000 espèces (ainsi que 400 nouvelles espèces à décrire) ; au Gabon trois genres et six espèces.

Arbres , arbustes, lianes, rarement plantes herbacées, généralement inermes, à indument simple ou étoilé ou glabres.'Feuilles'alternes, rarement opposées, simples ou composées; stipules présentes.'Inflorescences'terminales en épis, racèmes ou panicules, ou encore composées d'ombellules, de cymules ou de capitules réunis en panicules, en racèmes, en épis ou en ombelles.'Fleurs'bisexuées, polygames ou dioïques, actinomorphes; calice adné en grande partie à l'ovaire, la partie supérieure caduque; pétales (3)4-15, valvaires ou légèrement imbriqués, libres, parfois unis au sommet et se détachant sous forme de capuchon (corolle calyptriforme), rapidement caducs; étamines en nombre égal à celui des pétales et alternant avec eux, rarement plus nombreuses; filets libres; anthères biloculaires, dorsifixes, à déhiscence longitudinale; disque nectarifère, épigyne, confluent avec la base des styles (stylopode); ovaire infère, (1-)2-∞-loculaire; ovules 1 par loge, penduleux, à placentation apicale, anatropes; styles en nombre égal à celui des loges de l'ovaire.'Fruits'drupacés ou bacciformes, indéhiscents.'Graines à albumen ruminé ou lisse et à embryon très petit.\n\t\t\tFamille principalement pantropicale, comprenant environ 70 genres et plus de 800 espèces. Pour la Flore : 3 genres et 17 espèces.

Calyx adnate to the ovary, small Flowers hermaphrodite or unisexual, spicate, racemose, umbellate or capitate Fruit a berry or drupe Seeds with copious endosperm and small embryo Disk epigynous Ovary inferior, 1–or more-celled; styles free or connate; ovules solitary in each cell, pendulous from the inner angle Petals valvate or slightly imbricate, usually free Stamens free, alternate with the petals; anthers 2-celled, opening lengthwise Mostly woody Leaves alternate or rarely opposite, simple or compound; stipules often adnate to the petiole Flowers hermaphrodite or unisexual, spicate, racemose, umbellate or capitate Fruit a berry or drupe Seeds with copious endosperm and small embryo Disk epigynous Ovary inferior, 1–or more-celled; styles free or connate; ovules solitary in each cell, pendulous from the inner angle Petals valvate or slightly imbricate, usually free Stamens free, alternate with the petals; anthers 2-celled, opening lengthwise Mostly woody Leaves alternate or rarely opposite, simple or compound; stipules often adnate to the petiole

Seeds endospermous, endosperm smooth or ruminate; embryo very small Stamens free, alternating with the petals and usually similar in number, but occasionally more numerous; anthers opening by longitudinal slits Ovary inferior, with 2–8 locules; styles often forming a distinct stylopodium and only free at the apex, sometimes free throughout Calyx inconspicuous, with the tube adnate to the ovary Petals (4)5(10), valvate or slightly imbricate, usually free but sometimes joined to form a calyptra Ovules solitary in each loculus, anatropous, pendulous Fruit a berry or drupe Leaves alternate (rarely opposite), simple, pinnate or digitate; often coriaceous, glabrous or with a simple or stellate indumentum, the leaves of juvenile shoots often differing considerably from those of mature foliage; stipules frequently conspicuous Flowers small, hermaphrodite (monoecious or dioecious outside the FZ area), actinomorphic; arranged in umbels, racemes or in compound combinations of these structures Trees, shrubs, lianes, suffrutices (very rarely herbaceous outside the FZ area) Stamens free, alternating with the petals and usually similar in number, but occasionally more numerous; anthers opening by longitudinal slits Ovary inferior, with 2–8 locules; styles often forming a distinct stylopodium and only free at the apex, sometimes free throughout Calyx inconspicuous, with the tube adnate to the ovary Petals (4)5(10), valvate or slightly imbricate, usually free but sometimes joined to form a calyptra Ovules solitary in each loculus, anatropous, pendulous Fruit a berry or drupe Leaves alternate (rarely opposite), simple, pinnate or digitate; often coriaceous, glabrous or with a simple or stellate indumentum, the leaves of juvenile shoots often differing considerably from those of mature foliage; stipules frequently conspicuous Flowers small, hermaphrodite (monoecious or dioecious outside the FZ area), actinomorphic; arranged in umbels, racemes or in compound combinations of these structures Trees, shrubs, lianes, suffrutices (very rarely herbaceous outside the FZ area)

Fls commonly small, mostly in umbels that may be arranged into secondary infls, usually perfect, regular (or the outermost ones irregular), epigynous, usually 5-merous; cal commonly of small teeth around the top of the ovary, or obsolete; pet distinct, mostly valvate; stamens alternate with the pet; carpels mostly 2–5, united into a compound, inferior, plurilocular ovary; style or styles generally swollen at base to form a ± definite stylopodium confluent with the epigynous nectary-disk; ovules solitary in each locule, apical-axile, pendulous, epitropous; fr a berry, or often a drupe with several pyrenes; seeds with small, dicotyledonous embryo and abundant, oily endosperm; woody plants or less often perennial herbs, with mostly alternate (rarely whorled), compound or lobed lvs and commonly broad or sheathing petiole that may have evident stipular appendages. 70/700, mostly trop. and subtrop.

Trees or shrubs, sometimes woody vines with aerial roots, rarely perennial herbs, hermaphroditic, andromonoecious or dioecious, often with stellate indumentum or more rarely simple trichomes or bristles, with or without prickles, secretory canals present in most parts. Leaves alternate, rarely opposite (never in Chinese taxa), simple and often palmately lobed, palmately compound, or 1-3-pinnately compound, usually crowded toward apices of branches, base of petiole often broad and sheathing stem, stipules absent or forming a ligule or membranous border of petiole. Inflorescence terminal or pseudo-lateral (by delayed development), umbellate, compound-umbellate, racemose, racemose-umbellate, or racemose-paniculate, ultimate units usually umbels or heads, occasionally racemes or spikes, flowers rarely solitary; bracts usually present, often caducous, rarely foliaceous. Flowers bisexual or unisexual, actinomorphic. Pedicels often jointed below ovary and forming an articulation. Calyx absent or forming a low rim, sometimes undulate or with short teeth. Corolla of (3-)5(-20) petals, free or rarely united, mostly valvate, sometimes imbricate. Stamens usually as many as and alternate with petals, sometimes numerous, distinct, inserted at edge of disk; anthers versatile, introrse, 2-celled (or 4-celled in some non-Chinese taxa), longitudinally dehiscent. Disk epigynous, often fleshy, slightly depressed to rounded or conic, sometimes confluent with styles. Ovary inferior (rarely secondarily superior in some non-Chinese taxa), (1 or)2-10(to many)-carpellate; carpels united, with as many locules; ovules pendulous, 2 per locule, 1 abortive; styles as many as carpels, free or partially united, erect or recurved, or fully united to form a column; stigmas terminal or decurrent on inner face of styles, or sessile on disk, circular to elliptic and radiating. Fruit a drupe or berry, terete or sometimes laterally compressed, occasionally vertically compressed, exocarp fleshy; pyrenes cartilaginous or membranous, often laterally compressed. Seeds 1 per pyrene, embryo small, endosperm uniform or ruminate.

Calyx ± obconic, with tube adnate to ovary; free margin erect and very small Petals 4–10, valvate, usually free, sometimes connate and calyptrate Leaves simple or compound; lamina coriaceous or chartaceous, often in some genera with differences in texture and outline between those of juvenile and mature parts of the plant Stipules usually present Inflorescences generally ample, ultimate branching very often umbellate or racemose Flowers small, regular, often greenish-yellow, hermaphrodite, polygamous or dioecious Trees, shrubs, lianes or (rarely) ± herbaceous, sometimes epiphytic, unarmed (at least in East Africa), with a simple or stellate indumentum, or glabrous Stamens equal in number to the petals and alternate with them, rarely more numerous, inserted (with them) on a disk Ovary inferior with 2–8 locules; styles distinct throughout or connate below into a stylopodium; ovules solitary, pendulous from the apex of each locule Anthers dorsifixed, dithecous, longitudinally dehiscent Seeds with copious ruminate or smooth endosperm; embryo small and located near the hilum Fruit a berry or a drupe, often with fleshy exocarp and an endocarp divided into distinct pyrenes or hardly distinct from the exocarp Petals 4–10, valvate, usually free, sometimes connate and calyptrate Leaves simple or compound; lamina coriaceous or chartaceous, often in some genera with differences in texture and outline between those of juvenile and mature parts of the plant Stipules usually present Inflorescences generally ample, ultimate branching very often umbellate or racemose Flowers small, regular, often greenish-yellow, hermaphrodite, polygamous or dioecious Trees, shrubs, lianes or (rarely) ± herbaceous, sometimes epiphytic, unarmed (at least in East Africa), with a simple or stellate indumentum, or glabrous Stamens equal in number to the petals and alternate with them, rarely more numerous, inserted (with them) on a disk Ovary inferior with 2–8 locules; styles distinct throughout or connate below into a stylopodium; ovules solitary, pendulous from the apex of each locule Anthers dorsifixed, dithecous, longitudinally dehiscent Seeds with copious ruminate or smooth endosperm; embryo small and located near the hilum Fruit a berry or a drupe, often with fleshy exocarp and an endocarp divided into distinct pyrenes or hardly distinct from the exocarp