Rhizophoraceae

Bruguiera Lam. ex Savigny

First published in J.B.A.M.de Lamarck, Encycl. 4: 696 (1798)
This genus is accepted
The native range of this genus is E. Tropical & S. Africa to W. Pacific.

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 at least seven species with a tropical, coastal distrubution including Africa, Asia, northern Australia and the Pacific. All seven species occur in New Guinea with three species reaching the Solomon Islands.
Morphology General Habit
Plants glabrous Mangrove trees to 40 m tall with buttresses and pneumatophores
Morphology Leaves Stipules
Stipules interpetiolar, lanceolate, caducous
Morphology Leaves
Leaves opposite, coriaceous, margins entire, black gland dots present on underside, venation obscure below, pinnate above. Inflorescences axillary, in few-flowered cymes or flowers solitary, bracteoles absent
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers bisexual, 8–14-merous; sepals subulate to lanceolate, acute at the apex, persistent in fruit, reflexed or not; petals each enclosing 2 stamens, apex 2-lobed, apex and margins often villous and fringed; stamens with filiform filaments, unequal in length, anthers linear; disk cupular; ovary inferior, 2–4-locular, 2 ovules per locule, style filiform, style obscurely 2–4-lobed
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Fruit included within the calyx tube, exocarp smooth, 1-seeded, germination viviparous.
Ecology
In New Guinea, Bruguiera forms an important component of mangrove forest, often in association with Rhizophora or in monospecific stands.
Recognition
The genus can be recognised by their mangrove habit and pneumatophores, 8–14 narrow calyx lobes, petals which are variously hairy, tasseled or fringed and that each enclose 2 stamens with long filaments and the fully inferior, viviparous fruit.
[TONG]

Rhizophoraceae, A. R. Torre & A. E. Gonçalves. Flora Zambesiaca 4. 1978

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Calyx glabrous, leathery, accrescent; calyx-tube adnate at the base to the ovary; calyx-lobes 8–15.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Petals 2-fid and apically setigerous, involute at the base (each embracing a pair of stamens), nor clawed, inserted at the mouth of the calyx-tube.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
Stamens twice as many as the petals, epipetalous; filaments unequal in length in each pair, filiform; anthers linear, dehiscing longitudinally.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil
Ovary inferior, 2–4-locular, each locule 2-ovulate; style filiform, with 2–4 minute stigmatic lobes.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Fruit a leathery, indehiscent, usually unilocular, mostly 1-seeded berry, included in and adnate at the base to the calyx-tube; seed germinating on the plant, the radicle developing a ± terete or obscurely ribbed, blunt hypocotyl, which perforates the fruit-apex and falls with the fruit; cotyledons minute and connate at the base.
Morphology General Habit
Wholly glabrous and evergreen shrubs or trees of muddy sea-shores and estuaries, with geniculate pneumatophores arising from the mud, sometimes with aerial roots when young; roots and lower part of the trunk forming a pyramidal buttressed base.
Morphology Leaves
Leaves decussate, petiolate; leaf-lamina entire, leathery, usually black-dotted beneath, with the nerves obscure to visible below and visible or distinct above; stipules large, lanceolate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescences 1-few-flowered, cymose, axillary; peduncles usually arched outwards.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers bisexual, ebracteolate.
[FZ]

Rhizophoraceae, John Lewis. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1956

Morphology General Habit
Medium-sized trees of muddy sea-shores and estuaries
Morphology Roots
Roots and lower part of trunk forming a pyramidal buttressed base Aerial roots present as elbowed arches arising from the mud
Morphology Leaves
Leaves evergreen, opposite, petiolate, entire, leathery and glabrous
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers solitary or few, pedunculate, ebracteolate
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Calyx connate below, adnate to the ovary, 8–15-partite, glabrous, persistent, rarely becoming reflexed (not in our species)
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Petals as many as the calyx-lobes, inserted at the mouth of the calyx-tube, bifid, lobes setaceous
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
Stamens twice as many as the petals, enfolded in pairs within them, dehiscing longitudinally, introrse
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil
Ovary inferior, 2–4-celled; ovules axile in pairs; stigmatic lobes minute
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Fruit a leathery berry bearing the persistent calyx-lobes; all but one seed aborting; pericarp accrescent
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
Embryo falling from the tree with the fruit attached. Seed viviparous
[FTEA]

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

Morphology General Habit
Medium-sized trees
Morphology Roots
Roots and lower part of trunk form a slightly buttressed base; aerial roots present as sharp “knee-” or “elbow-shaped” arches
Morphology Leaves
Leaves evergreen, petiolate, entire, leathery and glabrous
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers solitary or few together, pedunculate, ebracteate
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Calyx forming a tube below, ± adnate to the ovary and the hollow disc, with 8–15 free, ± fleshy, linear, glabrous lobes, persistent in fruit
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Petals in the same number as the calyx-lobes, inserted between these, bifid or lobed at the apex, with long, linear appendages
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
Stamens 2 at each petal, partly enfolded in it, anthers dehiscent with longitudinal slits, opening introrsely; ovary ± inferior, 2–4-celled, style long, with minute stigmatic lobes
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Fruit a leathery berry with persisting calyx-lobes; all but one seed abortive; viviparous, germinating embryo falling from the tree with the fruit attached.
Distribution
Some seven species widespread along the shores of the Indian Ocean as far east as Polynesia.
[FSOM]

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.

  • Interactive Key to Seed Plants of Malesia and Indo-China

    • The Malesian Key Group (2010) Interactive Key to Seed Plants of Malesia and Indo-China (Version 2.0, 28 Jul 2010) The Nationaal Herbarium Nederland Leiden and The Royal Botanic Gardens Kew

  • 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