ELAEOCARPACEAE
Morphological description
Woody, non-climbing; stipulate.
Leaves
Leaves simple (except in some juvenile Sloanea). Usually petiole bipulvinate, leaves spiral, serrate, domatia present. Sometimes leaves withering red, drupes blue (most Elaeocarpus); leaves opposite (Aceratium and Sericolea).
Inflorescence
Inflorescence racemose.
Flowers
Flower actinomorphic, sepals free valvate, petals free (except some Sloanea), anthers basifixed; disk present; ovary superior, 2-5(-7)-locular, style 1; ovules axile in two rows. hermaphroditic, 5-merous (rarely 4- or 6-merous), petals fimbriate; stamens numerous (> 10). Petals fimbriate (Aceratium and Elaeocarpus, some Sloanea).
Fruit
Sometimes drupes blue (most Elaeocarpus)
Different from: Sterculiaceae and Tiliaceae: dorsifixed anthers, stellate hairs, mucilage cells. — Irvingia (Simaroubaceae): stipules leaving annular scar.
Distribution: The family and Sloanea pantropical, other Malesian genera: - Aceratium (East Malesia, Pacific, Australia); - Elaeocarpus (widespread in Old World); - Dubouzetia (East Malesia, New Caledonia); - Sericolea (New Guinea). All genera well represented in rain forest from sealevel to high in the mountains (Sericolea and some Elaeocarpus).
Notes: Seeds edible in large-fruited Elaeocarpus, fruit of Aceratium oppositifolium edible. The fruits of Aceratium and Elaeocarpus eaten by birds and bats. — Wood for building. — Some ornamental trees (Aceratium and Elaeocarpus).
Literature: M. J.E. Coode, Brunonia 1 (1978) 131-302; F.S.P. Ng, Tree Fl. Mal. 4 (1989) 82-97. — Mr. M. J.E. Coode (K) is revising the family for Flora Malesiana.
Spot characters (Van Balgooy): Elaeocarpaceae 30, 58 - Aceratium 45, 81, 86 - Dubouzetia 81, 100, 104 - Elaeocarpus 14, 22, 34, 37, 38, 52, 55, 59, 69, 81, 85, 86, 93, 105; E. gustaviifolius 53; E. myrmecophilus 9 - Sericolea 45, 46, 52, 67, 81 - Sloanea 14, 37, 38, 81, 95, 100, 104.
Illustrations: Fig. 57. Elaeocarpus murukkai Coode: a. habit; b. fruit; c. idem in CS; d & e. sepal; f. petal; g. stamen (Courtesy Brunonia, Canberra). Fig. 58. Sloanea pulchra (Schltr.) A.C. Sm. subsp. morobensis Coode: a. fruiting twig; b. inflorescence; c-f. sepals (Courtesy Brunonia, Canberra).
Image in PhytoImages for Elaeocarpaceae