Nyctaginaceae

Pisonia Plum. ex L.

First published in Sp. Pl.: 1026 (1753)
This genus is accepted
The native range of this genus is Ethiopia to KwaZulu-Natal and SW. Pacific, Tropical & Subtropical America.

Descriptions

Timothy M. A. Utteridge and Laura V. S. Jennings (2022). Trees of New Guinea. Kew Publishing. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

Distribution
A genus of about 20 species, occurring mainly in the New World, but a few species in Africa and Madagascar, and throughout Asia and Malesia to the Pacific islands and New Zealand. There are two species in New Guinea, the tree species Pisonia grandis R.Br. recorded from coastal areas from the surrounding islands, and the climbing/scrambling species P. aculeata L. with recurved axillary thorns. The description below is for P. grandis only.
Morphology General Habit
Shrubs or trees to 30 m; branches unarmed
Morphology Leaves
Leaves elliptic, oblong, or ovate, 10–20 × 6–10 cm, lateral veins 8–10 pairs, veins dark or dark-red contrasting with a paler intervenium, hairy on the nerves, base rounded or slightly cordate, mostly oblique, apex acute to acuminate
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescences terminal-Flowers bisexual; flowers sessile or pedicel very short (less than 1.5 mm long), apex with oblong bracteoles; perianth tube funnel-form, 5-lobed, with 5 rows of black glands, sometimes obscured by indumentum; stamens 6–10, exserted; stigma fimbriate, included
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Anthocarp clavate, c. 1.2 cm × 2.5 mm, 5-ribbed, with sessile glands, without persistent perianth, ribs with a row of viscid prickles, hairy between the ribs.
Ecology
In New Guinea, Pisonia grandis has been recorded from low-lying coastal islands, including off the north coast of Papua New Guinea (Madang Province); the species is unlikely to be confused with species of Ceodes because of the ecological differences.
Recognition
Pisonia grandis can be recognised by bracts and bracteoles in the upper part of the inflorescence, bisexual, sessile flowers with 5 rows of glands running along the length of the perianth tube which become prickles during fruiting.
[TONG]

Nyctaginaceae, B. L. Stannard. Flora Zambesiaca 9:1. 1988

Morphology General Habit
Scandent or erect shrubs or trees, unarmed or with axillary spines.
Morphology Leaves
Leaves opposite, alternate or verticillate, petiolate or sessile, simple, entire.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescences paniculate cymes, axillary or terminal, dense or lax, subsessile or pedunculate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers small, dioecious, rarely monoecious or hermaphrodite, male and female flowers sometimes of different shape; bracts 2–4, not involucrate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Perianth
Perianth infundibuliform, campanulate, urceolate or tubular, 5–10 lobed or toothed; lobes erect, spreading or reflexed.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
Stamens variable in number usually 5–10 mostly exserted, rudimentary in female flowers; filaments connate below.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil
Ovary sessile or stipitate, elongate, rudimentary in male flowers; style filiform, included or exserted; stigma lobed-capitate, multifid.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Fruit enclosed in hardened, elongated, oblong or clavate, smooth or 4–5-angled perianth base (anthocarp); angles sometimes furnished with longitudinal rows of viscid stipitate glands.
[FZ]

George R. Proctor (2012). Flora of the Cayman Isands (Second Edition). Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

Morphology General Habit
Trees, shrubs or woody vines, some species armed with spines
Morphology Leaves
Leaves mostly opposite
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers small, unisexual, in cymose panicles; plants dioecious
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Perianth
Staminate perianth funnel-shaped, 5-toothed, with 6–10 exserted stamens, the filaments slightly fused at the base
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil
Pistillate perianth tubular, 5-toothed, with short usually sterile stamens; ovary with exserted style and capitate stigma
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Anthocarps dry and rather hard, with 5 rows of extremely viscid stalked glands (rarely the glands restricted to the distal end).
Distribution
A pantropical genus of about 30 species.
Note
The viscid-glandular anthocarps are capable of ensnaring and disabling birds.
[Cayman]

Nyctaginaceae, Christopher Whitehouse. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1996

Morphology General Habit
Trees, shrubs or rarely lianas, sometimes with axillary spines
Morphology Leaves
Leaves opposite or alternate, sometimes clustered towards the ends of branches, entire, sessile or petiolate
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescences terminal or axillary cymes, clusters or panicles
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers unisexual, usually on separate plants, or bisexual; perianth campanulate, urceolate or funnel-shaped, 5(–10)-lobed, often falling early; bracts 2–3 or absent, not forming an involucre
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
Stamens 2–20, exserted; filaments united into a ring
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil
Ovary elongate-ovoid, sessile; style longer than ovary; stigma capitate, lobed or fimbriate
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Anthocarp oblong, linear or clavate, often 5(–6)-ribbed or sulcate, smooth, tuberculate or with sticky stipitate glands; embryo straight.
[FTEA]

Sources

  • 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

  • Flora of the Cayman Islands

    • Flora of the Cayman Islands
    • 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 2024. 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 2024. 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

  • Neotropikey

    • Milliken, W., Klitgard, B. and Baracat, A. (2009 onwards), Neotropikey - Interactive key and information resources for flowering plants of the Neotropics.
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Trees of New Guinea

    • Trees of New Guinea
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0