CORIARIACEAE
Morphological description
Woody; roots with nodules containing nitrogen-fixing bacteria.
Leaves
Leaves simple, entire, opposite, palminerved, exstipulate. Leaves usually seemingly distichous
Inflorescence
Inflorescence a raceme.
Flowers
Flower polygamous, actinomorphic, 5-merous, sepals 5, petals 5, stamens 10, carpels 5-10 free.
Different from: others.
Distribution: The only genus in the family, Coriaria, has a remarkably disjunct, widespread distribution (see map in Van Balgooy, 1966). In Malesia two species, one in Luzon, the other in Papua New Guinea, both in montane rain forest, often near streams.
Notes: The mature carpels are partly covered by the fleshy petals.
Literature: M.M. J. van Balgooy, Pacific Plant Areas 2 (1966) 123, map 67; B.E.E. Duyfjes, Fl. Males. I, 11 (1993) 385-391.
Spot characters (Van Balgooy): Coriaria 15, 64.
Illustrations: Fig. 57. Coriaria papuana Warburg (Coriariaceae). Part of branch and apical part with inflorescences; flowers enlarged. Reproduced from Flora Malesiana I, 11 (1993) 390, fig. 1a-c. 81 Fig. 58. Corsia lamellata Schltr. (Corsiaceae). Reproduced from Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 49 (1913) 111, fig. 1: K, L.
Image in PhytoImages for Coriariaceae