CAPPARACEAE
NB Capparidaceae is a synonym for Capparaceae.
Morphological description
Plants usually woody. Stipular thorns (Cadaba, Capparis).
Leaves
Leaves spiral; usually simple, stipules present. Sometimes 3-foliolate leaves (Crateva). Leaves with pellucid dots in Stixis.
Flowers
Flower(sub)zygomorphic; usually 4-merous, petals free, unguiculate, stamens numerous, ovary 1-locular; ovary superior on (andro-) gynophore. In Stixis sepals 6, petals absent, ovary 3-locular.
Fruits
Fruit a many-seeded berry. Fruit 1-seeded in Stixis.
Different from: Cruciferae: herbaceous, ovary 2-locular, flowers actinomorphic.
Distribution: The family widespread in tropics and subtropics, especially in dry regions. In Malesia 5 genera, incl.: Capparis, thorny climbers or shrubs, rain forest, monsoon forest, savannahs.
Notes: Ornamentals: Crateva. — Buds of Capparis spinosa in Europe used for flavouring food.
Literature: M. Jacobs, Fl. Males. I, 6 (1960) 61-105.
Spot characters (Van Balgooy): Capparidaceae leaf margin dentate/ serrate (p.p.), stamens numerous, Capparis climbers with hooks/tendrils (p.p.), armed plants, stellate hairs (p.p.), leaf with dots, inflorescence supra-axillary (p.p.),calyx accrescent (p.p.), fruit woody, seeds scattered; Cadaba armed plants; C. buwaldae ant plants, C. quiniflora serial buds, C. zeylanica serial buds, Crateva glands on petiole or lamina, fruit woody, seeds scattered, leaves palmately compound, Stixis petiole swollen apically, leaf with dots.
Illustrations: Fig. 22. Capparis sepiaria L., M. Jacobs, Fl. Males. I, 6 (1960) 61-105.
Images in PhytoImages for Capparaceae