The World Flora Online

Shrubs or small trees, rarely herbs, evergreen or deciduous. Bark tough and fibrous. Leaves opposite or alternate, rarely some ternate, estipulate; blade simple, entire, pinnately veined, articulate at base. Plants mostly bisexual, sometimes dioecious. Inflorescences terminal or subterminal, less often axillary, sometimes on brachyblasts, sessile or pedunculate, basically racemose, sometimes capitate, spicate, umbelliform, or fascicled. Flowers usually actinomorphic, bisexual or unisexual (plants then mostly dioecious), bracteate (sometimes bracts forming an involucre) or ebracteate, sessile or pedicellate. Calyx tubular, campanulate, or infundibuliform, usually corollalike, 4- or 5(or 6)-merous, mostly caducous, sometimes circumscissile, or persistent; lobes imbricate. Petals absent or represented by 4-12 scales, inserted at or near throat of calyx tube (Aquilaria). Stamens 2 to many, usually as many as calyx lobes and opposite them or twice as many. Hypognous disk usually present at base of ovary, scalelike, annular or cup-shaped, sometimes absent. Ovary superior, 1- or 2-loculed, sessile or shortly stipitate; ovules solitary in each locule, pendulous, anatropous; style filiform, caducous, sometimes very short or obscure, terminal or eccentric; stigma capitate, globose, subglobose, subclavate, or pyramidal, sometimes papilose. Fruit mostly indehiscent, dry or fleshy, sometimes a loculicidal capsule (Aquilaria). Seeds with or without endosperm, embryo straight.

Trees, shrubs or rarely herbs; leaves opposite or alternate, entire, often small and ericoid; stipules absent Flowers actinomorphic, usually hermaphrodite, sometimes capitulate Calyx tubular, more or less cylindric, sometimes long and slender; lobes 4–5, imbricate Petals present or absent, sometimes very small, mostly inserted at the mouth of the calyx-tube Stamens as many or twice as many as the calyx-lobes, inserted in the calyx-tube; anthers 2-celled, opening lengthwise Disk hypogynous or absent Ovary superior, 1–2-celled; ovule solitary in each cell, pendulous; style simple; stigma entire Fruit a nut, drupe or pyrene, usually enclosed in the base of the calyx-tube Seeds with or without endosperm; embryo straight Flowers actinomorphic, usually hermaphrodite, sometimes capitulate Calyx tubular, more or less cylindric, sometimes long and slender; lobes 4–5, imbricate Petals present or absent, sometimes very small, mostly inserted at the mouth of the calyx-tube Stamens as many or twice as many as the calyx-lobes, inserted in the calyx-tube; anthers 2-celled, opening lengthwise Disk hypogynous or absent Ovary superior, 1–2-celled; ovule solitary in each cell, pendulous; style simple; stigma entire Fruit a nut, drupe or pyrene, usually enclosed in the base of the calyx-tube Seeds with or without endosperm; embryo straight

Arbres, généralement petits à moyens, arbustes ou suffrutex, parfois sarmenteux, ou lianes, rarement (jamais pour la Flore) plantes herbacées et annuelles; écorce fibreuse.'Feuilles'opposées ou alternes, parfois subverticillées, simples, entières, parfois éricoïdes, pétiolées ou sessiles, sans stipules, Inflorescences axillaires ou terminales, en fascicules, en ombelles, en capitules toujours involucrés, parfois en racèmes, ou fleurs solitaires et axillaires; bractées et bractéoles présentes ou absentes.'Fleurs'hermaphrodites, rarement unisexuées (Octolepis dioica Capuron, Madagascar), actinomorphes, 4-5-mères, généralement pourvues d'un tube bien développé et parfois articulé au-dessus de l'ovaire (tube absent chez Octolepis et Synandrodaphne); sépales imbriqués ou valvaires dans le bouton, généralement plus courts que le tube, étalés, récurvés ou dressés à l'anthèse; pétales (ou écailles pétaloïdes) insérés au sommet du tube (sauf chez Octolepis), généralement petits et profondément bifides, parfois rudimentaires ou absents (Peddiea, Synandrodaphne et certains Gnidia); androcée diplostémone ou parfois haplostémone (Synandrodaphne et Struthiola); étamines en 1 ou 2 verticilles, à filets bien individualisés et à anthères nettement exsertes (Dicranolepis), ou à filets souvent très courts ou nuls, parfois adnés extérieurement à un disque tubulaire très long (Synandrodaphne); anthères biloculaires, introrses, à déhiscence longitudinale; disque hypogyne, cupuliforme, parfois tubulaire et tiès long (Synandrodaphne), entourant la base de l'ovaire, parfois absent; ovaire supère, 1-loculaire, parfois 2-loculaire (Peddiea, Synandrodaphne), ou 2-5-loculaire (Octolepis), sessile à substipité; ovules solitaires, pendants, anatropes; style 1, parfois un peu excentrique, à stigmate de forme variable.'Fruits'généralement indéhiscents, secs ou drupacés, parfois capsulaires et déhiscents (Octolepis, Synandrodaphne).'Graines avec ou sans albumen; embryon droit.\n\t\t\tFamille comprenant environ 50 genres et 600 espèces, répartis dans toutes les régions tropicales et tempérées, avec toutefois une plus grande spéciation dans les régions tropicales et subtropicales. L'Afrique, au sud du Sahara, recèle 14-20 genres avec au total plus de 250 espèces [fide Aymonin, C.R. Soc. Biogéogr., 365 : 1-21 (1965)]. Pour la Flore : 7 genres et 40 espèces, dont 1 représentée par 2 sous-espèces, et 1 variété.\n\t\t\tLa nature du tube floral chez les Thymelaeaceae est encore toujours controversée. Selon Léandri [Ann. Sc. Nat., ser. 10, Bot., 12 : 235 (1930)] et Heinig [Amer. Journ. Bot., 38 : 125 (1951)], il est d'origine « appendiculaire », c'est-à-dire qu'il est dû à la concrescence des verticilles externes des « feuilles florales », tandis que récemment Bunniger [Beitr. Biol. Pflanzen, 48 : 79-156 (1972)] le considère comme étant d'origine « axile ». Tout comme Staner [Bull. Jard. Bot. Etat Brux., 13 : 322 (1935)], nous adopterons pour cet organe le nom de tube dans un sens purement descriptif, sans prendre position pour l'une ou l'autre thèse en présence.

Fls perfect or sometimes unisexual, usually regular, mostly 4–5-merous, perigynous with a campanulate to tubular hypanthium on which the usually ± petaloid sep appear as lobes, or the sep scarcely developed; pet small or none; stamens typically bicyclic, in our genera 8; ovary superior, commonly subtended by a hypogynous disk, in our genera unilocular, with one well developed carpel and a second vestigial one; style one, often excentric, sometimes very short; ovule solitary, pendulous; fr mostly indehiscent; seed with a straight embryo, 2 expanded cotyledons, and little or no endosperm; highly poisonous woody plants or seldom herbs; lvs simple, entire, exstipulate, alternate in our genera. 50/500, cosmop.

Fruit often a berry, sometimes a nut, drupe or loculicidal capsule, usually enclosed in the base of the persistent calyx-tube Seed usually with a caruncle-like appendage, outer coat thin or crustaceous, usually black, with or without endosperm; embryo straight; cotyledons flat or thickened, narrow or broad Ovary superior, 1–2(rarely 4–12)-locular, sessile or shortly stipitate; ovule 1 in each locule, usually pendulous, anatropous; style filiform, sometimes very short, terminal or lateral; stigma usually capitate, sometimes papillate Disc hypogynous, membranous or fleshy, annular, cupular or scale-like, sometimes minute or lacking Inflorescences terminal or axillary, sessile or pedunculate, racemose (spikes, fascicles, umbels or heads), flowers rarely solitary, often with deciduous or persistent bracts Stamens as many or twice as many as the calyx-lobes (rarely reduced to 2 or 1), in 1–2 whorls, the upper whorl antisepalous; anthers with short filaments or sessile, 2-thecous, usually introrse, rarely extrorse or horseshoe-like, opening by slits lengthwise; pollen globose, usually polyforate with “ croton-pattern ” Petals (petaloid appendages or scales) generally inserted in the throat of the calyx-tube, equal or double the number of the calyx-lobes, well developed, entire or divided, often reduced to small fleshy glands or lacking Calyx (hypanthium, perianth or receptacle) tubular or funnel-shaped, sometimes articulated above the ovary, usually coloured, often petal-like; lobes (3–)4–5(–6), usually imbricate, equal or often with the two interior slightly smaller Flowers bisexual, polygamous or dioecious, regular or rarely slightly irregular, sweetly scented at night Trees or shrubs (sometimes lianes), rarely perennial herbs, very rarely annuals Stems and branches with tough cortical, often shining, fibres Leaves alternate or opposite, sessile or shortly petiolate, simple, entire, small needle-like, 1-nerved, to large flat, pinnately nerved, without stipules, herbaceous or coriaceous, sometimes glandular-punctate Seed usually with a caruncle-like appendage, outer coat thin or crustaceous, usually black, with or without endosperm; embryo straight; cotyledons flat or thickened, narrow or broad Ovary superior, 1–2(rarely 4–12)-locular, sessile or shortly stipitate; ovule 1 in each locule, usually pendulous, anatropous; style filiform, sometimes very short, terminal or lateral; stigma usually capitate, sometimes papillate Disc hypogynous, membranous or fleshy, annular, cupular or scale-like, sometimes minute or lacking Inflorescences terminal or axillary, sessile or pedunculate, racemose (spikes, fascicles, umbels or heads), flowers rarely solitary, often with deciduous or persistent bracts Stamens as many or twice as many as the calyx-lobes (rarely reduced to 2 or 1), in 1–2 whorls, the upper whorl antisepalous; anthers with short filaments or sessile, 2-thecous, usually introrse, rarely extrorse or horseshoe-like, opening by slits lengthwise; pollen globose, usually polyforate with “ croton-pattern ” Petals (petaloid appendages or scales) generally inserted in the throat of the calyx-tube, equal or double the number of the calyx-lobes, well developed, entire or divided, often reduced to small fleshy glands or lacking Calyx (hypanthium, perianth or receptacle) tubular or funnel-shaped, sometimes articulated above the ovary, usually coloured, often petal-like; lobes (3–)4–5(–6), usually imbricate, equal or often with the two interior slightly smaller Flowers bisexual, polygamous or dioecious, regular or rarely slightly irregular, sweetly scented at night Trees or shrubs (sometimes lianes), rarely perennial herbs, very rarely annuals Stems and branches with tough cortical, often shining, fibres Leaves alternate or opposite, sessile or shortly petiolate, simple, entire, small needle-like, 1-nerved, to large flat, pinnately nerved, without stipules, herbaceous or coriaceous, sometimes glandular-punctate

Most thymelaeaceous plants contain toxic substances

SELECTED REFERENCES Domke, F. W. 1934. Untersuchungen über die systematische und geographische Gliederung der Thymelaeaceen. Biblioth. Bot. 27: 1–151. Fuchs, A. 1938. Beiträge zur Embryologie der Thymelaeaceae. Oesterr. Bot. Z. 87: 1–41. Gilg, E. 1894. Thymelaeaceae. In: H. G. A. Engler and K. Prantl, eds. 1887–1915. Die natürlichen Pflanzenfamilien.... 254 fascs. Leipzig. Fasc. 106[III,6a], pp. 217–245. Nevling, L. I. Jr. 1962. Thymelaeaceae in the southeastern United States. J. Arnold Arbor. 43: 428–434.

Herbs or shrubs, deciduous or evergreen. Stems flexible; wood usually poorly lignified; bark ring; disc usually present (minute or absent in Thymelaea), surrounding gynoecium; stamens usually diplostemonous; anthers introrse, 4-sporangiate; ovary 1-locular, 1(–5)-carpellate; ovules 1+, pendent, raphe ventral, bitegmic, arillate or carunculate, anatropous or hemianatropous, crassinucellate; style 1, rarely absent, terminal or lateral; stigma capitate, clavate, or punctiform. Fruits capsular or drupaceous, usually fleshy, rarely dry, indehiscent [dehiscent]. Seeds 1[–8], usually with endosperm, testate; cotyledons 2, embryo achlorophyllous.

Flowers hermaphrodite or unisexual, regular or rarely slightly irregular, sweetly scented at night Calyx tubular or funnel-shaped, sometimes articulated above the ovary, usually coloured, often petal-like; lobes (3)4–5(6), usually imbricate, equal or often with the two interior slightly smaller Leaves alternate or opposite, sometimes whorled, sessile or shortly petiolate, simple, entire, small needle-like and 1-nerved to large flat and pinnately nerved, without stipules, herbaceous or coriaceous, sometimes glandular punctate Inflorescences terminal or axillary, sessile or pedunculate, racemose (spikes, fascicles, umbels or heads), rarely 1-flowered, often with deciduous or persistent bracts Ovary superior, 1–2(rarely 4–12)-locular, sessile or shortly stipitate; ovules 1 per locule, usually pendulous, anatropous; style filiform, sometimes very short, terminal or lateral; stigma usually capitate, sometimes papillate Disk hypogynous, membranous or fleshy, annular, cupular or scale-like, sometimes slightly crenate, now and then minute or lacking Stamens as many or twice as many as the calyx lobes (rarely reduced to 2 or 1), in 1–2 whorls, those of the upper whorl opposite the calyx lobes; anthers with filaments or sessile, 2-thecous, usually introrse, rarely extrorse, or horseshoe-like, opening lengthwise by slits; pollen grains globose, usually polyporate with ‘Croton pattern’ Petals generally inserted in the throat of the calyx tube, equalling or double the number of calyx lobes, well developed, entire or divided, sometimes ciliate, often reduced to small fleshy glands or lacking Seed usually with a caruncle-like appendage, outer coat thin or crustaceous, usually black, with or without endosperm; embryo straight; cotyledons flat or thickened, narrow or broad Fruit often a berry, sometimes a nut, drupe or loculicidal capsule, usually enclosed in the base of the persistent calyx tube Trees or shrubs, sometimes lianes, rarely perennial herbs, very rarely annuals, sometimes dioecious or polygamous Stems and branches with tough cortical, often shiny fibres Calyx tubular or funnel-shaped, sometimes articulated above the ovary, usually coloured, often petal-like; lobes (3)4–5(6), usually imbricate, equal or often with the two interior slightly smaller Leaves alternate or opposite, sometimes whorled, sessile or shortly petiolate, simple, entire, small needle-like and 1-nerved to large flat and pinnately nerved, without stipules, herbaceous or coriaceous, sometimes glandular punctate Inflorescences terminal or axillary, sessile or pedunculate, racemose (spikes, fascicles, umbels or heads), rarely 1-flowered, often with deciduous or persistent bracts Ovary superior, 1–2(rarely 4–12)-locular, sessile or shortly stipitate; ovules 1 per locule, usually pendulous, anatropous; style filiform, sometimes very short, terminal or lateral; stigma usually capitate, sometimes papillate Disk hypogynous, membranous or fleshy, annular, cupular or scale-like, sometimes slightly crenate, now and then minute or lacking Stamens as many or twice as many as the calyx lobes (rarely reduced to 2 or 1), in 1–2 whorls, those of the upper whorl opposite the calyx lobes; anthers with filaments or sessile, 2-thecous, usually introrse, rarely extrorse, or horseshoe-like, opening lengthwise by slits; pollen grains globose, usually polyporate with ‘Croton pattern’ Petals generally inserted in the throat of the calyx tube, equalling or double the number of calyx lobes, well developed, entire or divided, sometimes ciliate, often reduced to small fleshy glands or lacking Seed usually with a caruncle-like appendage, outer coat thin or crustaceous, usually black, with or without endosperm; embryo straight; cotyledons flat or thickened, narrow or broad Fruit often a berry, sometimes a nut, drupe or loculicidal capsule, usually enclosed in the base of the persistent calyx tube Trees or shrubs, sometimes lianes, rarely perennial herbs, very rarely annuals, sometimes dioecious or polygamous Stems and branches with tough cortical, often shiny fibres