Olacaceae Juss. ex R.Br.

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

Morphology General Habit

Trees or shrubs, sometimes armed with spines

Morphology Leaves

Leaves alternate, simple, entire, penninerved, exstipulate

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers actinomorphic, bisexual, in axillary fascicles, cymes or racemes

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx cupuliform, often accrescent, with the base free or more or less adnate to the ovary, and the margin entire or lobed

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Petals 3–5 (6), valvate in bud, sometimes connate in pairs

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium

Stamens as many as or more numerous than the petals, free or with the filaments more or less adnate to the petals, all fertile or some sterile

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Nectaries

Disk present or inconspicuous

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium

Ovary free or more or less immersed, usually 3–5-locular at the base or nearly to the apex; style short, columnar; stigma capitate, sometimes lobulate; ovules (2) 3–5, pendulous from the apex of a central placenta

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit drupaceous, ellipsoid to globose

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seed with abundant fleshy endosperm; embryo minute, apical

Olacaceae, Hutchinson and Dalziel. Flora of West Tropical Africa 1:2. 1958

Morphology General Habit

Trees, shrubs or climbers

Morphology Leaves

Leaves alternate, simple; stipules absent

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers actinomorphic, usually hermaphrodite and small

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx-lobes imbricate or open in bud

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Petals free or variously connate, valvate

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Nectaries

Disk often present, usually annular

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium

Stamens free or rarely united into a column, the same number as and opposite the petals or fewer or more numerous, some often without anthers; anthers 2-celled, opening by slits or pore-like slits

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium

Ovary superior or slightly immersed in the disk, 1–3-celled; style 1, with a 2–5-lobed stigma; ovules 1–5 from the apex of a central placenta in a 1-celled ovary, or pendulous from the inner angle of a 2- or more-celled ovary

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit drupaceous, sometimes inferior by accrescence of the calyx or receptacle

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds with copious endosperm and small or medium-sized straight embryo

Octoknemataceae, Hutchinson and Dalziel. Flora of West Tropical Africa 1:2. 1958

Morphology General Habit

Trees and shrubs; leaves alternate, simple, entire, exstipulate

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers unisexual in axillary racemes, or hermaphrodite in panicles borne on the older branches

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Sepals 5, valvate

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Petals absent

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium

Stamens (or in female flower staminodes) 5, opposite the sepals, free

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Nectaries

Disk present

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium

Ovary inferior, 1-celled or 3 (–4)-celled almost to the top; ovules 3 (–4), at the apex of a basal threadlike placenta which reaches and is adnate to the top of the ovary; style very short, stigmas 3–5-lobed, lobes bifid

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit drupaceous, with a single seed; endosperm slightly ruminate, with small embryo, the radical much longer than the cotyledons