OPILIACEAE
Morphological description
Woody. Sometimes climbers (Cansjera, Opilia). Sometimes cauliflorous treelet (Melientha); dried plant with fenugreek (•maggi ) smell (Urobotrya siamensis).
Leaves
Leaves simple, alternate, entire, penninerved, exstipulate. Usually leaves drying pale olive, leaf surface finely tubercled.
Inflorescence
Inflorescence sometimes cauliflorous treelet (Melientha).
Flowers
Flower actinomorphic; stamens as many as and opposite the tepals, disk present, ovary superior, 1-celled, 1 pendulous ovule. Usually flowers bisexual, tepals free.
Fruit
Fruit.
Seed
Seed.
Different from: Olacaceae: perianth of calyx and corolla, more than 1 ovule. — Santalaceae: ovary inferior.
Distribution: Pantropical; in Malesia 7 genera, incl.: - Champereia (Indo-Malesia), shrubs, lowland rain forest, monsoon forest; - Opilia (paleotropics), climbers, lowland deciduous forest.
Notes: Cansjera and Opilia are root parasites. — Edible leaves: Champereia, Melientha. — Medicinal uses: Champereia, Urobotrya. — Fruits of Champereia eaten by birds.
Literature: P. Hiepko, Fl. Males. I, 10 (1984) 31-52.
Spot characters (Van Balgooy): Opiliaceae 11, 61, 83 - Cansjera 5, 59 - Champereia 23, 88 - Melientha 70 - Opilia 5 - Urobotrya siamensis 23.
Illustrations: Fig. 125. Champereia manillana (Blume) Merr., showing flowering and fruiting branch and detail of flower (from Flora of Taiwan).
Image in PhytoImages for Opiliaceae