SABIACEAE
Morphological description
Woody.
Leaves
Leaves spiral, penninerved, exstipulate. Leaves, if compound, swollen at nodes, leaflets opposite, margin entire.
Inflorescence
Inflorescence.
Flowers
Flowers bisexual, actino-morphic, disk present, ovary superior. Usually flowers 5-merous, stamens opposite the petals and these opposite the sepals, in Meliosma 3 stamens abortive, ovary 2-locular, fruit with a longitudinal ridge.
Fruit
Fruit a drupe with excentric style. In Meliosma fruit with a longitudinal ridge.
Seed
Seed.
Different from: Anacardiaceae: resinous, stamens not opposite petals. — Burseraceae: resinous, flowers unisexual, stamens not opposite petals. — Menispermaceae: vena-tion usually palmate, flowers unisexual. — Sapindaceae: leaflets in compound leaves usually alternate; flowers usually unisexual, stamens not opposite petals.
Distribution: Tropics of Asia, and America; in Malesia 2 genera: - Meliosma (Asia-America), trees, leaves usually compound; - Sabia (Indo-Malesia), climbers, simple leaves; both genera in lowland to montane rain forest.
Notes: Affinity of family not clear, often regarded as two separate families: Melios-maceae and Sabiaceae.
Literature: F. van Beusekom & Th.P.M. van de Water, Fl. Males. I, 10 (1989) 679-715.
Spot characters (Van Balgooy): Sabiaceae 83 - Meliosma 42, 52, 78, 82, 85, 93, 99 - Sabia 5, 82, 91.
Illustrations: Fig. 147. Meliosma veitchiorum Hemsl.: a. habit; b. flower; c. scale; d. ovary; e. fruit.
Image in PhytoImages for Sabiaceae