Araliaceae

Cussonia Thunb.

First published in Nova Acta Regiae Soc. Sci. Upsal., ser. 2, 3: 210 (1780)
This genus is accepted
The native range of this genus is Tropical & S. Africa, Comoros, Arabian Peninsula.

Descriptions

Araliaceae, J. R. Tennant. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 0

Morphology General Habit
Trees or shrubs, generally glabrous, rarely tomentose
Morphology Leaves
Leaves petiolate, simple and palmately lobed or digitately compound, often crowded, borne towards the ends of the stem or main branches; leaflets with entire to crenate margins or pinnatifid, rarely irregularly lobed
Morphology Leaves Stipules
Stipules often intrapetiolar, connate with the petiole for some distance with an often once-cleft free portion
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescences of spikes, racemes, umbels or panicles of umbellules; bracts subtending flowers (floral bracts) scale-like or obsolete; pedicels not articulated beneath the flower
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers greenish, 4–8 mm. in diameter
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Calyx-margin repando-(4–)5-dentate or subentire
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Petals (4–)5
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
Stamens (4–)5; anthers ovate
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Disc
Disk flat, depressed or conical
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil
Ovary bilocular, very rarely with 1–2 supernumerary carpels; styles 2, very rarely 3–4, connivent at base
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Fruit laterally compressed or subglobose, often urceolate or subobconical to wedge-shaped (in C. spicata); exocarp fleshy or submembranaceous
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
Seeds ovoid-globose or laterally compressed; endosperm ruminate.
[FTEA]

M. Thulin et al. Flora of Somalia, Vol. 1-4 [updated 2008] https://plants.jstor.org/collection/FLOS

Morphology General Habit
Trees or shrubs
Morphology Leaves
Leaves petiolate, simple or palmately lobed or digitately compound; leaflets entire, crenate, or pinnatifid; stipules intrapetiolar, partly adnate to the petiole and with a free portion
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers greenish, in spikes, racemes or panicles
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Calyx subentire, undulate or (4–) 5-dentate
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Petals (4–)5
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
Stamens (4–)5 with ovate anthers
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary
Ovary with 2(–4) cells, with styles united into a stylopodium at the base
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Fruit a drupe; seeds with ruminate endosperm.
Distribution
About 20 species in tropical and southern Africa, Madagascar and the Mascarenes.
[FSOM]

Araliaceae, J. F. M. Cannon. Flora Zambesiaca 4. 1978

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Style
Styles 2 (3–4 have been rarely reported), connivent for most of their length and often with very short divergent stigmatic surfaces at their apex.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Fruit subglobose, urceolate, obovoid or even obconical to wedge-shaped (owing to congestion in densely packed spikes), sometimes fleshy.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
Seed ovoid or somewhat compressed; endosperm ruminate.
Morphology General Habit
Trees, shrubs (rarely suffrutices), glabrous to puberulous (more rarely densely pubescent, especially in immature states).
Morphology Leaves
Leaves conspicuously petiolate, simple and palmate to digitately compound, often grouped in an “umbrella ” arrangement at the ends of branches. Leaflets very variable in shape and marginal definition; apices often long-acuminate.
Morphology Leaves Stipules
Stipules often quite conspicuous.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence usually spicate but may be racemose. Floral bracts small or obsolete.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers 4–8 mm. in diameter with (4)5 greenish petals.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Calyx forming a shallow cup, sometimes with a 4–5-dentate margin.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
Stamens (4)5.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Disc
Disk flat, depressed or sometimes fused with the styles to form a well-developed conical Stylopodium.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary
Ovary 2-locular (rarely with supernumerary carpels).
[FZ]

Sources

  • Flora Zambesiaca

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

  • Flora of Somalia

    • Flora of Somalia
    • 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

    • 'The Herbarium Catalogue, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published on the Internet http://www.kew.org/herbcat [accessed on Day Month Year]'. Please enter the date on which you consulted the system.

  • Kew Backbone Distributions

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2025. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2025. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0