PHYTOLACCACEAE
Morphological description
Herbaceous usually.
Leaves
Leaves simple, alternate, entire, penninerved; stipules, if present, usually minute.
Inflorescence
Inflorescence a raceme, usually leaf-opposed.
Flowers
Flowers tepals 4 or 5, ovary superior.
Fruit
Fruit a berry.
Seed
Seed.
Different from: Sphenocleaceae: ovary semi-inferior, fruit a capsule.
Distribution: The family is pantropical, best represented in America. In Malesia 3 genera, all with introduced, naturalized species.
Notes: Some species of Phytolacca and Rivina humilis are sometimes planted as ornamentals.
Literature: C.A. Backer, Fl. Males. I, 4 (1951) 228-232.
Spot characters (Van Balgooy): Phytolaccaceae 83 - Phytolacca 72.
Illustrations: Fig. 141. Rivina humilis L. (Phytolaccaceae). Habit; flower and fruit enlarged. Reproduced from Flora Malesiana I, 4 (1951) 228, fig. 1.
image in PhytoImages for Phytolaccaceae