FLACOURTIACEAE
NB Synonym of Salicaceae. Most genera of the family Flacourtiaceae in the regionare placed in the Salicaceae. A few of them are united with the South African family of Achariaceae. See for delimitation Kew Plants of the World Online
Morphological description
Woody, non-climbing. Stem spiny (some Flacourtia, Hemiscolopia, Scolopia, Xylosma).
Leaves
Leaves simple. Usually stipules small or absent; leaves spiral or distichous, serrate / dentate, penninerved, often with basal nerves; glands on petiole and leaf blade. Leaves bipulvinate (Ryparosa, Trichadenia, some Hydnocarpus); leaves with transparent dots and dashes (Casearia); twigs mimic pinnate leaves (Paropsia); T-shaped hairs (Ryparosa). Intramarginal vein (Scaphocalyx).
Inflorescence
Inflorescence.
Flowers
Flower hermaphroditic; petals, if present, often with scale inside; stamens numerous; ovary superior. ovary (semi-)inferior (Homalium)
Fruit
Fruit.
Seed
Seed winged (Itoa).
Different from: Euphorbiaceae: mostly stipulate; not hermaphroditic; ovary nearly always 3-locular, axile placentation. — Celastraceae: leaves not glandular; mostly 2- or more-locular ovary.
Distribution: The family pantropical, some species reaching the warm temperate zone. In Malesia 19 genera, incl.: - Casearia (pantropical), mostly lowland rain forest; - Flacourtia (Africa to Fiji), everwet and seasonal rain forest; - Homalium (pantropical), lowland rain forest; - Hydnocarpus (Indo-Malesia), lowland rain forest; - Ryparosa (Malesia), lowland rain forest; - Scolopia (paleotropics), primary and secondary lowland forest.
Notes: Edible fruits: Flacourtia, Pangium. — Medicinal oil: Hydnocarpus. — Timber: Homalium.
Literature: H. Sleumer, Fl. Males. I, 5 (1954) 1-106.
Spot characters (Van Balgooy): Flacourtiaceae 58, 61, 83, 104 - Ahernia 31, 64 - Bennettiodendron 31, 79 - Casearia 59, 71, 99, 101; C. amplectens 37; C. auriculata 37 - Eleutherandra 38 - Erythrospermum 64, 95, 101 - Flacourtia 8, 12 - Hemiscolopia 12, 31, 71, 79 - Homalium 31, 92 - Hydnocarpus 25, 38, 71, 73, 77, 82, 88, 95; H. polypetala 70 - Itoa 8, 31, 102 - Osmelia 38, 59, 64, 101; O. grandistipula 37 - Pangium 14, 38, 82 - Paropsia 82 - Pseudosmelia 70 - Ryparosa 25, 38, 45, 59, 64, 70, 82, 88; R. hullettii (fr.) 23 - Scaphocalyx 65, 70, 82, 94 - Scolopia 12, 31, 64, 71, 79, 81 - Trichadenia 31, 38, 82 - Xylosma 31; X. luzonense 12.
Illustrations: Fig. 71. Flacourtia rukam Zoll. & Moritzi: a. habit (male); b. habit (female); c. female flower; d. idem in LS; e & f. fruit; g & h. LS of fruit; i. male flower. Fig. 72. Hydnocarpus woodii Merr.: a. habit; b & c. fruit; d. fruit in LS; e. seed; f. male flower of H. crassifolia Sleum.; g. petal; h. stamen.
Image in PhytoImages for Salicaceae