Moraceae

Antiaris Lesch.

First published in Ann. Mus. Hist. Nat. 16: 478 (1810)
This genus is accepted
The native range of this genus is Tropical Africa to SW. Pacific.

Descriptions

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

Distribution
A monospecific genus, Antiaris toxicaria Lesch. from Arabia, Africa, Madagascar, Asia and the Pacific.
Morphology General Habit
Trees to 50 m tall
Morphology Leaves Stipules
Stipules free, semi-amplexicaul
Morphology General Indumentum
Indumentum of simple hairs only
Morphology Leaves
Leaves alternate and distichous, elliptic to obovate, more or less asymmetric, base cordate to rounded, margin sub-entire to minutely dentate near the apex, upper lamina puberulous, hispid or scabrous, tertiary venation scalariform
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescences often below the leaves on short shoots, unisexual and plants monoecious or dioecious Male inflorescences discoid in groups of up to 4, surrounded by numerous involucral bracts in 1–3 imbricate whorls; male flowers numerous, tepal 2–7, free, stamens 2–4, straight in bud
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Female flowers solitary or paired, with 6–12 involucral bracts below, perianth 4-lobed, partly adnate to receptacle and ovary, stigmas 2
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Fruit and swollen receptacle forming a drupaceous, fleshy, ellipsoid entity, reddish when ripe.
Ecology
Antiaris is a canopy tree in New Guinea, found in lowland rain forests up to 800 m.
Recognition
The genus is recognised by the free stipules, distichous leaves, the discoid male inflorescences which are usually grouped together, and the solitary female flowers. The ellipsoid “fruit”, which is reddish when ripe, has a dull and furry surface and contains a single seed, is unlike any other Moraceae in New Guinea.
[TONG]

Moraceae, C.C. Berg (University of Bergen). Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1989

Morphology General Habit
Trees, monoecious or dioecious, with self-pruning lateral branches
Morphology Leaves
Leaves distichous on the lateral branches, pinnately veined; stipules semi-amplexicaul, free
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescences on minute spurs unisexual, in the leaf-axils or just below the leaves, involucrate Pistillate inflorescences sessile or pedunculate, uniflorous; perianth partly adnate to the receptacle, 4-lobed; ovary adnate to the perianth; stigmas 2, band-shaped, equal
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Staminate inflorescences pedunculate; flowers numerous; tepals 2–7, free; stamens 2–4, straight in bud; pistillode absent
sex Male
Staminate inflorescences pedunculate; flowers numerous; tepals 2–7, free; stamens 2–4, straight in bud; pistillode absent
sex Female
Pistillate inflorescences sessile or pedunculate, uniflorous; perianth partly adnate to the receptacle, 4-lobed; ovary adnate to the perianth; stigmas 2, band-shaped, equal
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Fruit forming a drupaceous whole with the enlarged fleshy orange to scarlet receptacle
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
Seed large, without endosperm; cotyledons thick, equal.
[FTEA]

Moraceae, C. C. Berg. Flora Zambesiaca 9:6. 1991

Morphology General Habit
Trees, monoecious or dioecious; lateral branches self-pruning.
Morphology Leaves
Leaves distichous on the lateral branches, pinnately veined; stipules semi-amplexicaul, free.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Pistillate inflorescences sessile or pedunculate, uniflorous; perianth partly adnate to the receptacle, 4-lobed; ovary adnate to the perianth, stigmas 2, ligulate, equal. Inflorescences on minute spurs, in the leaf axils or just below the leaves, unisexual, involucrate. Staminate inflorescences pedunculate; flowers numerous; tepals 2–7, free: stamens 2–4, straight in bud; pistillode absent.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Fruit forming a drupaceous whole together with the enlarged fleshy, orange to scarlet-coloured receptacle; seed large, without endosperm; cotyledons thick, equal.
[FZ]

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

  • 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

  • Trees of New Guinea

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