The World Flora Online

Shrubs or woody climbers, rarely small trees or herbs. Leaves opposite, rarely whorled, simple or pinnatifid, conduplicate or involute in vernation; interpetiolar stipules absent or rarely well developed. Inflorescence thyrsoid, axillary or terminal, compact or lax, cymes 1-, 2-, or 3-flowered; paired flowers sometimes with ovaries ± fused. Cymes with a pair of bracts and 2 pairs of bracteoles, located at base of ovaries, ± fused, occasionally accrescent in fruit, rarely absent. Flowers bisexual, actinomorphic or zygomorphic. Calyx 4- or 5-lobed. Corolla epigynous, gamopetalous; lobes 4 or 5, spreading, sometimes bilabiate, aestivation imbricate. Stamens (4 or)5, didynamous, alternating with corolla lobes, sometimes exserted; anthers free, 2-celled, opening by longitudinal slits, introrse. Ovary inferior, carpels 2-8, fused; placenta axile; ovules 1 to many per locule, some of which can be abortive, pendulous; style solitary; stigmas capitate or lobed. Fruit a berry, a drupe with 2-5 pyrenes, or a leathery achene. Seeds 1 to many; embryo small, straight; endosperm copious.

Fls perfect, mostly (3–)5-merous, with a constriction just beneath the cal-limb, sympetalous, regular or irregular; stamens on the cor-tube, alternate with the lobes (only 4 in Linnaea); ovary (half to) wholly inferior, mostly (2)3–5-carpellate and plurilocular, with axile placentation, but only one carpel well developed in Viburnum; style terminal, or the stigma(s) sessile; ovules and seeds 1–many per locule; seeds with a small, straight, dicotyledonous, basal to axile embryo and oily endosperm; shrubs (or small trees) or woody vines, seldom (as in Triosteum) herbs, with opposite, simple (pinnately compound in Sambucus) lvs; stipules usually wanting or vestigial, in any case without colleters; infls mostly cymose or partly so. 15/400, mostly N. Temp. and boreal. Fls sympetalous, epigynous, regular or irregular, perfect or unisexual; cal-segments either inrolled at anthesis and later expanded and pappus-like, or much reduced or obsolete; cor mostly 5-lobed, often bilabiate, the tube often spurred or gibbous; stamens borne on the cor-tube, alternating with but fewer than the lobes, typically 3; pistil basically tricarpellate, one carpel fertile, the other 2 sterile and sometimes obsolete; style with a simple, entire or bilobed or more often trilobed stigma; ovule solitary, pendulous; fr dry, indehiscent; seeds with a large, straight, oily dicotyledonous embryo, without endosperm; opposite-lvd, exstipulate herbs with the fls in various sorts of basically determinate infls (but not in involucrate heads). 13/300. Fls sympetalous, epigynous, regular or irregular, perfect or unisexual; cal-segments either inrolled at anthesis and later expanded and pappus-like, or much reduced or obsolete; cor mostly 5-lobed, often bilabiate, the tube often spurred or gibbous; stamens borne on the cor-tube, alternating with but fewer than the lobes, typically 3; pistil basically tricarpellate, one carpel fertile, the other 2 sterile and sometimes obsolete; style with a simple, entire or bilobed or more often trilobed stigma; ovule solitary, pendulous; fr dry, indehiscent; seeds with a large, straight, oily dicotyledonous embryo, without endosperm; opposite-lvd, exstipulate herbs with the fls in various sorts of basically determinate infls (but not in involucrate heads). 13/300.

Calyx-tube joined with the ovary; limb (3–)4–5-fid or -toothed, the teeth imbricate or open Corolla gamopetalous, tubular, funnel-shaped, campanulate or rotate, 3–5-lobed, sometimes 2-lipped, the lobes imbricate or less often valvate Stamens 4–5, inserted in the corolla-tube and alternate with the lobes; anthers 2-thecous, opening lengthwise inwards or outwards Small trees, shrubs, woody climbers or rarely herbs, often with soft pith Leaves opposite or less often alternate, simple or pinnately compound; stipules absent or very small, rarely conspicuous Inflorescences mainly cymose, less often flowers solitary or paired; bracts and bracteoles usually present Ovary inferior, 2–8-locular, with 1-many pendulous ovules in each locule; placentation axile or parietal; style simple or wanting; stigma ], capitate, or stigmas as many as the carpels Flowers regular or irregular, hermaphrodite Fruit a berry or drupe, less often a capsule or achene, 1–5-locular with 1–many seeds or as many pyrenes as locules; endosperm copious; embryo mostly small and straight Corolla gamopetalous, tubular, funnel-shaped, campanulate or rotate, 3–5-lobed, sometimes 2-lipped, the lobes imbricate or less often valvate Stamens 4–5, inserted in the corolla-tube and alternate with the lobes; anthers 2-thecous, opening lengthwise inwards or outwards Small trees, shrubs, woody climbers or rarely herbs, often with soft pith Leaves opposite or less often alternate, simple or pinnately compound; stipules absent or very small, rarely conspicuous Inflorescences mainly cymose, less often flowers solitary or paired; bracts and bracteoles usually present Ovary inferior, 2–8-locular, with 1-many pendulous ovules in each locule; placentation axile or parietal; style simple or wanting; stigma ], capitate, or stigmas as many as the carpels Flowers regular or irregular, hermaphrodite Fruit a berry or drupe, less often a capsule or achene, 1–5-locular with 1–many seeds or as many pyrenes as locules; endosperm copious; embryo mostly small and straight

Plantes'généralement arbustives, parfois arborescentes ou lianeuses à tiges volubiles, rarement herbes vivaces.'Feuilles'opposées, rarement verticillées, simples à composées; pas de vraies stipules.'Inflorescences'cymeuses, variées.'Fleurs'ordinairement bisexuées et 5-mères, mais à gynécée souvent oligomère; calice généralement petit, à préfloraison imbriquée ou ouverte; corolle gamopétale, radiaire à bilatérale, parfois bilabiée, à préfloraison imbriquée; étamines 4-5, insérées sur le tube corollin, généralement isomères de la corolle, alternant avec ses lobes, à anthère dithèque et déhiscente par fentes longitudinales; ovaire infère, syncarpe, à 1 ou plusieurs loges, à 2-5(-8) carpelles parfois inégalement développés; style simple ou nul, à stigmate capité ou présentant plusieurs branches; placentation axile, tendant parfois à devenir pariétale; ovules 1 ou peu nombreux par loge, pendants, anatropes, 1-tégumentés, ténuinucellés.'Fruits : baies, drupes, capsules ou akènes.'Graines à embryon petit et droit; albumen charnu.\n\t\t\tFamille groupant environ 450 espèces en quelque 18 genres. Aire principale dans les contrées tempérées de l'hémisphère nord; un certain nombre d'espèces dans les montagnes intertropicales, en Amérique du Sud, en Nouvelle-Guinée et en Australie orientale. Pour la Flore : famille non indigène; 2 genres et 2 espèces, toutes deux introduites.\n\t\t\tLe genre'Sambucus'L. a parfois été séparé du reste des Caprifoliaceae pour constituer une famille distincte, les'Sambucaceae .