The World Flora Online

Arbres, arbustes, rarement herbes pérennes, monoïques. Stipules absentes. Feuilles simples, alternes ou opposées ; limbe souvent coriace. Inflorescences axillaires ou terminales, en racèmes, en épis, en cymes ou en glomérules, à bractées décussées. Fleurs unisexuées, actinomorphes, petites et discrètes. Fleurs mâles : sépales absents ou 4(ou 6), imbriqués ; pétales absents ; étamines 4 à 6, plus rarement 7 à 10, opposées aux sépales ou avec 2 paires opposées aux sépales internes, anthères dorsifixes, à déhiscence par fentes longitudinales ; ovaire souvent rudimentaire. Fleurs femelles : ovaire supère, 3-loculaire, à 1 ou 2 ovules par loge ; styles 3, libres, entiers ou divisés. Fruits capsulaires ou drupacés. Graines noires et luisantes, albuminées.

Famille composée de six genres et environ 125 espèces, largement répandue surtout dans les régions tempérées, et en altitude dans les pays tropicaux et subtropicaux. En Afrique, un seul genre est reconnu, Buxus L., représenté au Gabon par une seule espèce.

Plantes'ligneuses, rarement herbacées, monoïques.'Feuilles'opposées ou parfois alternes, simples, scléreuses, persistantes, sans stipules.'Inflorescences'généralement axillaires, en cymes, glomérules ou épis, munies de bractées.'Fleurs'♂♀ dans la même inflorescence, verdâtres, à périgone simple et à préfloraison imbriquée.'Fleurs'♂ à 4 tépales ou nues; étamines 4 et obstémones ou 6-∞, à filets libres parfois très courts; gynécée rudimentaire ou nul.'Fleurs'♀ à 4-6 tépales; gynécée généralement 3-mère, à 3 styles; ovaire 3-loculaire, à 1-2 ovules pendants et anatropes par loge.'Fruits': capsules loculicides ou parfois drupes, à styles persistants.'Graines généralement noires et luisantes, à caroncule ou non, albuminées et à embryon central droit.\n\t\t\tFamille, autrefois incluse dans les'Euphorbiaceae , comprenant 6 genres et ± 30 espèces largement répandues surtout dans les régions tempérées et subtropicales; au Congo belge, 1 genre et 1 espèce.

Sepals imbricate or absent, usually 4 Petals absent Female flowers often larger than the males and fewer or solitary Sepals as in the males Stamens 4 or 6, rarely more; anthers large, sessile or stalked, cells 2-valved or opening lengthwise Rudimentary ovary sometimes present Fruit a capsule or drupe Seeds black, shining, with fleshy endosperm and straight embryo Ovary superior, 3-celled; styles undivided Ovules 1–2, pendulous, anatropous Trees or shrubs, rarely herbs Leaves evergreen, alternate or opposite, simple; stipules absent Flowers unisexual, monoecious or dioecious, spicate or fasciculate Petals absent Female flowers often larger than the males and fewer or solitary Sepals as in the males Stamens 4 or 6, rarely more; anthers large, sessile or stalked, cells 2-valved or opening lengthwise Rudimentary ovary sometimes present Fruit a capsule or drupe Seeds black, shining, with fleshy endosperm and straight embryo Ovary superior, 3-celled; styles undivided Ovules 1–2, pendulous, anatropous Trees or shrubs, rarely herbs Leaves evergreen, alternate or opposite, simple; stipules absent Flowers unisexual, monoecious or dioecious, spicate or fasciculate

Female flowers usually much larger than male ones, with 4–6 perianth segments; staminodes absent; ovary superior, 3-locular, with 3 entirely free basally connate styles which are often grooved along the upper surface; ovules 1–2 per locule, pendulous, anatropous Fruit a capsule or drupe, often with a detaching endocarp at maturity Seeds black and shiny; endosperm fleshy Male flowers with 4 perianth segments and 4–6(10) stamens, rarely (only in the South American genus >i>Styloceras and the North American genus >i>Simmondsia) stamens numerous, opposite the perianth segments, or with more stamens at each perianth segment, when stamens 6 then usually 2 opposite the inner pair of perianth segments; filaments present or absent; rudimentary ovary present or absent Flowers small, unisexual (very rarely some in an individual bisexual), usually in dense bracteate spikes, fascicles or cymes, monoecious or rarely dioecious; perianth segments sepal-like, membranous or apparently absent Leaves simple, opposite, rarely alternate, usually coriaceous, evergreen, with entire margin, rarely toothed (only in the Asian genus Pachysandra); stipules absent Trees or shrubs, rarely herbs Fruit a capsule or drupe, often with a detaching endocarp at maturity Seeds black and shiny; endosperm fleshy Male flowers with 4 perianth segments and 4–6(10) stamens, rarely (only in the South American genus >i>Styloceras and the North American genus >i>Simmondsia) stamens numerous, opposite the perianth segments, or with more stamens at each perianth segment, when stamens 6 then usually 2 opposite the inner pair of perianth segments; filaments present or absent; rudimentary ovary present or absent Flowers small, unisexual (very rarely some in an individual bisexual), usually in dense bracteate spikes, fascicles or cymes, monoecious or rarely dioecious; perianth segments sepal-like, membranous or apparently absent Leaves simple, opposite, rarely alternate, usually coriaceous, evergreen, with entire margin, rarely toothed (only in the Asian genus Pachysandra); stipules absent Trees or shrubs, rarely herbs

Monoecious or dioecious, the fls small, regular, hypogynous, apetalous and with separate or no sep; stamens 4–30, distinct; disk wanting; ovary of (2)3 carpels, with as many biovulate locules that may be partitioned into uniovulate locelli; styles distinct, persistent, borne on or forming continuations of the apical margin of the ovary, the stigma decurrent along the inner side and commonly with a median furrow; ovules apical-axile, pendulous, apotropous; fr capsular or fleshy; seeds black and shining, commonly with a straight, axile, dicotyledonous embryo and abundant oily endosperm, usually carunculate; evergreen or seldom deciduous woody plants or (Pachysandra) suffrutescent herbs with simple, opposite or less often alternate, leathery, exstipulate lvs, the fls commonly in spikes or dense racemes or heads. 5/60, cosmop.

Shrubs, small trees, rarely subshrubs or perennial herbs, evergreen, monoecious or rarely dioecious. Leaves simple, alternate or opposite, exstipulate, margin entire or dentate, venation pinnate or triplinerved. Inflorescences axillary or terminal, racemose or densely spicate, bracteate. Flowers small, regular, unisexual. Male flowers: tepals 4-6 or rarely absent; stamens 4, 6-8, or numerous; central pistillode present or lacking. Female flowers: tepals 5 or 6 or several; carpels 2 or 3; ovary superior, 2- or 3-locular; styles 2 or 3, free, persistent; stigma broadly recurved; interstylar nectaries present or lacking; ovules 2 per locule, pendent, anatropous, bitegmic, crassinucellar; micropyle formed by inner integument or by both integuments. Fruit a loculicidal dry capsule or a fleshy berry. Seeds black, shining; endosperm fleshy; embryo erect; cotyledons thin or plump.

Fruit a capsule or a drupe Seeds black and shining ; endosperm fleshy Stamens 4–6, more rarely 7–10, opposite the sepals or with two pairs opposite the inner sepals ; the male flowers often have a rudimentary ovary Ovary superior, 3-locular ; styles 3, entire or grooved ; ovules 1–2 per loculus, pendulous Sepals 0–4, imbricate Petals absent Leaves evergreen, simple, alternate or opposite, often coriaceous, exstipulate Flowers unisexual, monoecious or dioecious (rarely with a few hermaphrodite ones), in spikes, fascicles or cymes Trees, shrubs or rarely herbs Seeds black and shining ; endosperm fleshy Stamens 4–6, more rarely 7–10, opposite the sepals or with two pairs opposite the inner sepals ; the male flowers often have a rudimentary ovary Ovary superior, 3-locular ; styles 3, entire or grooved ; ovules 1–2 per loculus, pendulous Sepals 0–4, imbricate Petals absent Leaves evergreen, simple, alternate or opposite, often coriaceous, exstipulate Flowers unisexual, monoecious or dioecious (rarely with a few hermaphrodite ones), in spikes, fascicles or cymes Trees, shrubs or rarely herbs