Celastraceae

Catha Forssk. ex Scop.

First published in Intr. Hist. Nat.: 228 (1777), nom. rej.

This genus is accepted

The native range of this genus is NE. Tropical to S. Africa, Arabian Peninsula.

Celastraceae, N.K.B. Robson, N. Hallé, B. Mathew and R. Blakelock†. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1994

Morphology General Habit: Trees or shrubs, without latex, glabrous
Morphology Leaves: Leaves opposite on flowering shoots, alternate on vegetative ones, petiolate; stipules triangular-acicular, free or ± united interpetiolarly, rapidly caducous
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences: Inflorescence pedunculate, cymose, regularly dichasial, simple, axillary; bracts persistent
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers: Flowers bisexual, pedicellate, with pedicels articulated at the base
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx: Sepals 5, equal, imbricate, united at the base
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla: Petals 5, white or greenish, imbricate in bud, spreading
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens: Stamens (4–)5, with filaments united with base of disc; anthers sub-basifixed, introrse, persistent, with separate thecae dehiscing longitudinally
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Disc: Disc intrastaminal, single, concave, thin, shallowly 5-lobed
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil: Ovary superior, sessile, 3-locular (sometimes incompletely so), with 2 erect collateral ovules in each locule; styles 3, free; stigmas 3
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits: Fruit capsular, dehiscing loculicidally in 3 valves
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds: Seeds 1–3, exarillate, with a wing developed below the point of attachment, with endosperm.

[FTEA]

Celastraceae, N. K. Robson. Flora Zambesiaca 2:2. 1966

Morphology General Habit: Trees or shrubs, without latex, glabrous.
Morphology Leaves: Leaves opposite on flowering shoots, alternate on vegetative ones, petiolate; stipules free or ± united interpetiolarly, rapidly caducous.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences: Inflorescence pedunculate, cymose, regularly dichasial, simple, axillary; bracts persistent.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers: Flowers bisexual, pedicellate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx: Sepals 5, imbricate, united at the base.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla: Petals 5, white or greenish, imbricate in bud.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Disc: Disk intra-staminal, single, concave, thin, shallowly 5-lobed.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens: Stamens 5, with filaments united with base of disk; anthers basifixed, with separate thecae dehiscing longitudinally; pollen simple.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil: Ovary superior, sessile, 3-locular (sometimes incompletely so), with 2 erect collateral ovules per loculus; styles and stigmas 3, free.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits: Fruit capsular, dehiscing loculicidally in 3 valves.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds: Seeds 1–3, with a wing developed below the point of attachment.

[FZ]

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

Morphology General Habit: Tree or shrub, unarmed, without latex, glabrous
Morphology Leaves: Leaves opposite on flowering shoots, alternate on vegetative ones; stipules free or ± united
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers: Flowers bisexual, in pedunculate regularly dichasial simple axillary cymes
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx: Sepals 5, imbricate
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla: Petals 5, white or greenish, imbricate in bud
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens: Stamens (4–)5; filaments slender, united with base of disk; anthers introrse, dehiscing longitudinally
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Disc: Disk intrastaminal, single, concave, thin, shallowly 5-lobed
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary: Ovary sessile, free, 3-celled, with 2 erect ovules in each cell; styles 3, free; stigmas 3
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits: Fruit a capsule, elongate, dehiscing loculicidally
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds: Seeds 1–3, without arils, with a wing developed below the point of attachment, with endosperm.
Distribution: A single species, widespread in eastern tropical Africa.
Note: The genus Lydenburgia N. Robson, with the single species L. cassinoides N. Robson in South Africa (Transvaal), has sometimes been included in Catha (as C. cassinoides (N. Robson) Codd).

[FSOM]

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
Kew Backbone Distributions
- The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2023. 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 2023. 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

Descriptions