CONNARACEAE
Morphological description
Woody climbers. Tree with unifoliolate leaves (Ellipanthus).
Leaves
Leaves spiral, imparipinnate, entire, penninerved, exstipulate. Leaves pellucid punctate (Connarus); leaves trifoliolate, dried leaflets with minute pits above (Agelaea).
Inflorescence
Inflorescence,
Flowers
Flower 5-merous, sepals and petals free; 1-5 free carpels; stamens 10 ovary superior, two collateral ovules.
Fruit
Fruit a 1-seeded capsule. Fruit warty (Agelaea).
Seed
Seed arillate.
Different from: Leguminosae: stipules present, sepals connate, ovules serial, fruit mostly with more than one seed.
Distribution: The family pantropical. In Malesia 6 genera, incl.: - Connarus (pantropical), lianas, shrubs; forest and open places in lowland; - Rourea (pantropical), lianas; forest and open places in lowland.
Notes: Dispersal of the arillate seeds probably by birds. Branches of some climbing species used as ropes.
Literature: P.W. Leenhouts, Fl. Males. I, 5 (1958) 495-541.
Spot characters (Van Balgooy): Connaraceae young leaves red,staminal tube (p.p.), fruit ridged (p.p.), seeds arillate; Agelaea climbers without hooks/tendrils, leaves palmately compound, leaves 2-,3- (or 4-)pinnate, fruits spiny/muricate; Cnestis climbers without hooks/tendrils; Connarus climbers without hooks/tendrils, dendroid hairs (p.p.), leaves palmately compound, leaf with dots; C. grandis serial buds; Ellipanthus plants with red or orange sap (p.p.), petiole swollen apically, leaves peltate ; E. beccarii var. peltata leaves peltate; Rourea climbers without hooks/tendrils; Roureopsis climbers without hooks/tendrils.
Illustrations: Fig. 41. Cnestis platantha Griff: a. habit; b. flower; c. fruit; d. idem opened & Fig. 42. Ellipanthus tomentosus Kurz: a. habit; b. female flower; c. same, petal and sepals removed; d. male flower; e. fruit; f. seed. P.W. Leenhouts, Fl. Males. I, 5 (1958) 495-541.
Image in PhytoImages for Connaraceae