[NTK]
Every, J.L.R. (2009). Neotropical Chloranthaceae.
- Morphology
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Description
Evergreen trees (2-30 m tall) and scandent shrubs, large prop roots regularly present, glabrous or with non- glandular trichomes, all parts strongly aromatic. Leaves simple , opposite, decussate , petiolate , petiolar bases form a cylindric or quadrangular persistent sheath around the stem , nodes swollen; blade fleshy to coriaceous , pinnately veined, margins crenate - serrate ; stipules 4. Staminateinflorescence in dioecious species ( axillary or terminal , 1 to several spikes, axis racemose or paniculate; leaf-like bracts present), in monoecious species (solitary spikes on pistillate inflorescence axis or within a cymules (along with pistillate flowers)). Pistillateinflorescence axillary or terminal , cymules, spikes, racemes or panicles; bracts present. Staminateflowers basic, 60-300 flowers per spike , without perianth , ebracteate, 1-3 sessile stamens, anthers, oblong , longitudinally dehiscent . PistillateFlowers simple , perianth lobes 0.5-3mm, free at the base or partially to completely united forming a small tube, adnate to the ovary ; ovary inferior or semi-inferior, sometimes nude, carpel 1, locule 1, stigma 1 sessile or on very short style . Fruit a drupe , fleshy , aromatic and brightly coloured, exocarps thin, mesocarp fleshy , endocarp hard, or multiple with colourful, juicy floral bracts. Seed 1 per fruit , small, brown or black smooth or minutely papillate, endosperm well developed, oily.
- General Description
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Notes on delimitation
- Chloranthaceae are probably sister to magnoliids (Moore et al. 2007) as the only family in the order Chloranthales.
- One: Hedyosmum Sw. with 44 species.
- Hedyosmum brasiliense has medicinal property.
- One species H. mexicanum C. Cordem. provides edible, sweet tasting fruit.
- Hedyosmum is derived from the Greek words hedy (pleasant) osmum (smelling).
- An interesting family from an evolutionary point of view, lending its name to the Chloranthoid Hypothesis, which suggests that the first flowering plants had the similar small, basic, unisexual, wind-pollinated flowers.
Native.
- Distribution
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Distribution in the Neotropics
- Growing throughout the Neotropics, predominantly in wet, cool, montane forest at altitudes anywhere between 500m and 3,000m.
- Two-thirds of the species are found in Andean South America, primarily in disturbed sites.
- Diagnostic
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Other important characters
- Prop roots.
- Floral bracts becoming colourful and succulent and appealing to birds.
- Long flowering season.
- Long staminate inflorescences with abundant pollen.
- Swollen leaf sheath in-between leaf stalks.
- Unisexual flowers.
- Minute perianth.
- Opposite leaves.
- Crenate to serrate leaf margins.
- NB! Pungent odour from all broken parts of the plant.
- Loranthaceae are estipulate.
- Caprifoliaceae have a distinct perianth.
- Piperaceae have alternate leaves.
- Literature
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Important literature
Maas, P. J. M. & Westra, L. Y. Th. 2005. Neotropical Plant Families. 3rd ed. P. 106. A.R.G. Gantner Verlag K.G., Ruggell.
Moore et al. 2007. Using plastid genome-scale data to resolve enigmatic relationships among basal angiosperms PNAS: 104(49).
Todizia, C. A. 1988. Chloranthaceae: Hedyosmum. Flora Neotropica. Monograph 48. The New York Botanical Garden, New York.
Chloranthaceae R.Br. ex Sims appears in other Kew resources:
First published in Bot. Mag. 48: ad t. 2190. 1820 [1 Nov 1820] (1820)
Accepted by
- APG IV (2016) http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/boj.12385
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Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone
The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Selected Plant Families 2022. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and http://apps.kew.org/wcsp/
© Copyright 2017 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0
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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