Family:
Olacaceae Juss. ex R.Br.

Olax L.

This genus is accepted, and its native range is Tropical & Subtropical Old World.

[FZ]

Olacaceae, J. G. Garcia. Flora Zambesiaca 2:1. 1963

Morphology General Habit
Shrubs or small trees up to 6 (12) m. tall; young branches yellowish-green, rugulose or scabridulous, narrowly 4-winged.
Morphology Leaves
Leaves distichous.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers solitary and axillary, or in axillary solitary or fasciculate racemes; pedicels articulate at the base; buds oblong.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Calyx short, entire, cupuliform, undulate and/or inconspicuously denticulate at the margin.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Petals 5 (6) or 3, valvate, connate in the bud, later free, recurved-apiculate inside at the top.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium
Stamens 3–6; staminodes 3–6; filaments ± attached to the corolla; sterile anthers filiform, usually bifid and longer than the fertile ones.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Disc
Disk circular.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil
Ovary superior, lageniform or conical, usually 3-locular at the base; ovules usually 3, pendulous from the apex of a central placenta; style included; stigma capitate, sometimes 3–4-lobed.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Fruit drupaceous, glabrous, sometimes enclosed nearly to the apex by the accrescent calyx.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
Seed with a minute apical embryo surrounded by fleshy endosperm.

[FTEA]

Olacaceae, G. Ll. Lucas. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1968

Morphology General Habit
Small trees or shrubs; branchlets usually slightly ridged, glabrous to poorly scabrid
Morphology Leaves
Leaves alternate, distichous, simple and entire
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers solitary or racemose, bisexual; racemes with single flowers or fascicles; peduncle simple, rarely branched; pedicels articulate at their base
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Calyx cupuliform, varying from accrescent to non-accrescent, ± undulate at the margin
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Petals 3 or 5(–6), free, valvate, linear-spathulate, glabrous on the inner surface, apiculate
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
Stamens 3–6; staminodes 3–6; filaments ± adnate to the petals; sterile anthers filiform, usually longer than the fertile members
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil
Ovary superior, tripartite at the base, borne on a circular disk; ovules 1 per locule, pendulous; style relatively short; stigma capitate (1–)3–4-lobed
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Fruit a drupe, globose, often nearly enclosed by the accrescent calyx.

Native to:

Andaman Is., Angola, Assam, Bangladesh, Benin, Bolivia, Borneo, Botswana, Brazil North, Brazil Northeast, Brazil Southeast, Brazil West-Central, Burkina, Cambodia, Cameroon, Caprivi Strip, Caroline Is., Central African Repu, Chad, China South-Central, China Southeast, Colombia, Comoros, Congo, East Himalaya, Ecuador, French Guiana, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Gulf of Guinea Is., Guyana, Hainan, India, Ivory Coast, Jawa, KwaZulu-Natal, Laos, Lesser Sunda Is., Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaya, Maluku, Mauritius, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal, New Caledonia, New Guinea, New South Wales, Nicobar Is., Nigeria, Northern Provinces, Northern Territory, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, Queensland, Réunion, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Solomon Is., South Australia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Sulawesi, Sumatera, Suriname, Swaziland, Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Uganda, Venezuela, Victoria, Vietnam, West Himalaya, Western Australia, Zambia, Zaïre, Zimbabwe

Olax L. appears in other Kew resources:

Date Reference Identified As Barcode Type Status Has image?
Brock, J. 57944.000 No
Etuge, M. [4780], Cameroon K000746339 No
Cheek, M. [5181], Cameroon K000085259 No
Olorunfemi, J. [FHI 30650], Cameroon K000093920 No

First published in Sp. Pl.: 34 (1753)

Accepted by

  • Govaerts, R., Nic Lughadha, E., Black, N., Turner, R. & Paton, A. (2021). The World Checklist of Vascular Plants, a continuously updated resource for exploring global plant diversity. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41597-021-00997-6 Scientific Data 8: 215.

Literature

Flora of West Tropical Africa

  • Sleumer in E. & P. Pflanzenfam. 16B: 24 (1935).
  • —F.T.A. 1: 348

Flora Zambesiaca

  • Gen. Pl., ed. 5: 20 (1754).
  • Sp. Pl. 1: 34 (1753)

Flora of Tropical East Africa

  • L., Gen. Pl., ed. 5: 20 (1754)
  • Oliv., F.T.A. 1: 348 (1868)
  • Sleumer in E. & P. Pf., ed. 2, 16B: 24 (1935)
  • Sp. Pl: 34 (1753)

  • Flora Zambesiaca

    Flora Zambesiaca
    http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Flora of Tropical East Africa

    Flora of Tropical East Africa
    http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Herbarium Catalogue Specimens

  • Kew Backbone Distributions

    The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Selected Plant Families 2022. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and http://apps.kew.org/wcsp/
    © Copyright 2017 World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone

    The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Selected Plant Families 2022. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and http://apps.kew.org/wcsp/
    © Copyright 2017 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0