The World Flora Online

Lianes ou arbustes sarmenteux, plus rarement arbres ou suffrutex. Stipules absentes ou parfois présentes sous forme d’ailes étroites adnées au pétiole. Feuilles alternes, simples, pétiolées ou rarement subsessiles ; limbe à marge entière ou dentée, penninervé. Inflorescences terminales ou axillaires, en racèmes, cymes, thyrses ou fascicules, rarement à fleurs solitaires ; bractées et bractéoles souvent présentes. Fleurs bisexuées ou rarement unisexuées, actinomorphes ; sépales (3)4 ou 5(15), libres, imbriqués, ± accrescents, souvent persistants, parfois devenant charnus et enveloppant le fruit ; pétales (1)4 ou 5(7), libres, imbriqués ou chiffonnés en bouton, jaunes ou blancs ; étamines (1)15 à nombreuses, libres ou disposées en faisceaux ; ovaire supère, avec 2 à 20 carpelles libres ou ± soudés à la base, avec 1 à 20 ovules par carpelle ; styles autant que de carpelles. Fruits folliculaires ou bacciformes, syncarpes ou apocarpes, coriaces ou charnus, avec 1 à nombreuses graines. Graines généralement munies d’un arille lacinié ou en crête, la recouvrant ou non ; endosperme abondant, charnu ; embryon petit.

Une famille groupant dix ou onze genres et environ 550 espèces des régions tropicales et subtropicales, la plupart en Australie. Au Gabon, un seul genre pantropical, Tetracera, est représenté par cinq espèces de lianes.

Lianes'ou arbustes ± lianiformes, plus rarement arbres, suffrutex ou herbes.'Feuilles'alternes, rarement opposées, simples, entières ou dentées, penninerves; stipules absentes, parfois présentes sous forme d'aile étroite adnée au pétiole.'Inflorescences'terminales ou axillaires, en racèmes, cymes, panicules de cymes ou de fascicules, rarement 1-flores; bractées et bractéoles souvent présentes.'Fleurs'☿, rarement ♂ ♀, généralement régulières; sépales (3)4-5(10-15), imbriqués, égaux ou inégaux, persistants, ± accrescents, devenant ± indurés ou charnus et enveloppant parfois le fruit; pétales (1-3)4-5(6-7), imbriqués, souvent chiffonnés dans le bouton, fugaces; étamines (2-3)10-∞, hypogynes, en général persistantes, parfois toutes unilatérales; souvent staminodes présents; filets libres ou ± soudés à la base ou disposés en faisceaux; anthères extrorses ou introrses, déhiscentes par fentes longitudinales ou pores apicaux; ovaire supère, à (1)2-20 carpelles libres ou ± soudés à la base; ovules 1-∞, parfois sur 2 rangs, axillaires ou basilaires, horizontaux ou ascendants, à 2 téguments; styles libres et divergents, terminaux ou latéraux; stigmates simples.'Fruits'à follicules libres ou ± soudés, coriaces ou charnus, parfois bacciformes et indéhiscents.'Graines solitaires ou peu nombreuses; arille en général présent, enveloppant ou non la graine, lacinié ou en forme de crête; endosperme abondant, charnu; embryon petit.\n\t\t\tFamille groupant 11 genres et ± 260 espèces des régions tropicales; pour la Flore, 1 genre, 5 espèces et 2 variétés.

Inflorescence various Flowers yellow or white, hermaphrodite or polygamous, rarely dioecious Shrubs or undershrubs, often climbing, rarely trees or herbs; leaves alternate, simple, entire or dentate (rarely divided); stipules very rare, and then adnate to the petiole and early deciduous Stamens hypogynous, numerous, rarely 10 or fewer, free or variously united at the base Carpels 1 or many, generally free; ovules 1 to many in each carpel Sepals 5, rarely fewer, imbricate, persistent Petals 5 or fewer, imbricate, fugacious Fruits dehiscing by one or both sutures Seeds 1 or few, with an aril; endosperm copious, with minute embryo Flowers yellow or white, hermaphrodite or polygamous, rarely dioecious Shrubs or undershrubs, often climbing, rarely trees or herbs; leaves alternate, simple, entire or dentate (rarely divided); stipules very rare, and then adnate to the petiole and early deciduous Stamens hypogynous, numerous, rarely 10 or fewer, free or variously united at the base Carpels 1 or many, generally free; ovules 1 to many in each carpel Sepals 5, rarely fewer, imbricate, persistent Petals 5 or fewer, imbricate, fugacious Fruits dehiscing by one or both sutures Seeds 1 or few, with an aril; endosperm copious, with minute embryo

Carpels free, rarely one; ovules single or more, erect from the base or on the ventral suture of the carpel; styles free Stamens numerous, rarely definite (never in our area), hypogynous, free or variously united into bundles at the base, often persistent; anthers opening lengthwise or by terminal pores Seeds usually with a crested or laciniate aril; endosperm copious, fleshy; embryo minute Ripe carpels dehiscent or baccate Petals 5 or fewer, imbricate, often crumpled in bud Sepals 5, imbricate Flowers bisexual (in all our species) or unisexual Stipules absent or represented by a narrow wing adnate to the petiole Leaves alternate, entire or variously toothed (rarely pinnatifid or 3-lobed but not in our area), with prominent, parallel lateral nerves Shrubs, trees or lianes, rarely herbs Stamens numerous, rarely definite (never in our area), hypogynous, free or variously united into bundles at the base, often persistent; anthers opening lengthwise or by terminal pores Seeds usually with a crested or laciniate aril; endosperm copious, fleshy; embryo minute Ripe carpels dehiscent or baccate Petals 5 or fewer, imbricate, often crumpled in bud Sepals 5, imbricate Flowers bisexual (in all our species) or unisexual Stipules absent or represented by a narrow wing adnate to the petiole Leaves alternate, entire or variously toothed (rarely pinnatifid or 3-lobed but not in our area), with prominent, parallel lateral nerves Shrubs, trees or lianes, rarely herbs

Trees, shrubs, or woody climbers, rarely herbs; hairs sclerified and/or silicified, sometimes fasciculate. Leaves simple, rarely pinnatisect or pinnately compound, usually spirally arranged, rarely opposite, petiolate; stipules absent; petiole sometimes winged; leaf blade leathery, herbaceous, or membranous, margin entire or serrate. Flowers bisexual, rarely unisexual, actinomorphic, occasionally zygomorphic, solitary or in racemes, panicles or cymes. Sepals (3 or)4-5(-18), imbricate, persistent, usually leathery or fleshy, sometimes accrescent in fruit. Petals (2 or)3-5(-7), white, yellow, or red, imbricate, crumpled in bud. Stamens numerous (or 1-10), developing centrifugally, free or united basally and then in fascicles; staminodes often present; anthers basifixed, dehiscing by longitudinal slits, apical clefts, or apical pores. Gynoecium (1 or)2-7(-20)-carpellate, superior; carpels free or hemisyncarpous; stylodia free, apically stigmatic; ovules 1 to numerous, anatropous; placentation submarginal, or basal when ovules 1 or 2. Fruit a follicle, polyfollicle, berry, or capsule, or indehiscent and enclosed by fleshy sepals. Seeds 1 to numerous; endosperm copious, oily; embryo very small, straight, achlorophyllous.

Leaves alternate (opposite in Hibbertia from Madagascar), simple, rarely deeply lobed or pinnatifid (not in Africa) Trees, shrubs, climbers, more rarely perennial herbs Flowers bisexual, or unisexual, regular, hypogynous, borne in terminal or axillary cymes or racemes, sometimes solitary Stipules absent or more rarely adnate to the petiole and wing-like Petals (2–)5(–6), free, imbricate, often relatively large and showy Stamens (3–)?, free or partially united at the base into bundles, often persistent; anthers 2-thecous, dehiscence by means of a longitudinal slit or apical pore Sepals 3–5(–20), free, imbricate, persistent Seeds usually bearing a laciniate aril and copious fleshy endosperm Fruit a follicle or berry-like Carpels (1–)3–5(–20), free or partially united along the central axis; ovules 1 or more, anatropous, erect from the base or inner suture; styles free; stigma simple Trees, shrubs, climbers, more rarely perennial herbs Flowers bisexual, or unisexual, regular, hypogynous, borne in terminal or axillary cymes or racemes, sometimes solitary Stipules absent or more rarely adnate to the petiole and wing-like Petals (2–)5(–6), free, imbricate, often relatively large and showy Stamens (3–)?, free or partially united at the base into bundles, often persistent; anthers 2-thecous, dehiscence by means of a longitudinal slit or apical pore Sepals 3–5(–20), free, imbricate, persistent Seeds usually bearing a laciniate aril and copious fleshy endosperm Fruit a follicle or berry-like Carpels (1–)3–5(–20), free or partially united along the central axis; ovules 1 or more, anatropous, erect from the base or inner suture; styles free; stigma simple