Ochnaceae
Encyclopedia
The family
Ochnaceae, or wild plane family, comprises mainly trees or shrubs, and more rarely herbaceous
plants. Species
of the Ochnaceae are found from subtropical to tropical regions. They are best represented in South America
. The family has about 53 genera and 600 species.
Members of the Ochnaceae all have evergreen
petiolate
leaves, which are sometimes leathery (found at the genus
Ochna
). The leaves are most often simple and alternate, but can be racemose, paniculate or more rarely pinnate
. Pinnate leaves are typical of Godoya.
These species are hermaphrodite
.
This subfamily is characterized by the absence of endosperm
in the seed
.
Subfamily Luxemburgoideae
This subfamily is characterized by the presence of endosperm
in the seed.
Other genera
The following families are excluded from Ochnaceae:
Family
In human context, a family is a group of people affiliated by consanguinity, affinity, or co-residence. In most societies it is the principal institution for the socialization of children...
Ochnaceae, or wild plane family, comprises mainly trees or shrubs, and more rarely herbaceous
Herbaceous
A herbaceous plant is a plant that has leaves and stems that die down at the end of the growing season to the soil level. They have no persistent woody stem above ground...
plants. Species
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
of the Ochnaceae are found from subtropical to tropical regions. They are best represented in South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
. The family has about 53 genera and 600 species.
Members of the Ochnaceae all have evergreen
Evergreen
In botany, an evergreen plant is a plant that has leaves in all seasons. This contrasts with deciduous plants, which completely lose their foliage during the winter or dry season.There are many different kinds of evergreen plants, both trees and shrubs...
petiolate
Petiole (botany)
In botany, the petiole is the stalk attaching the leaf blade to the stem. The petiole usually has the same internal structure as the stem. Outgrowths appearing on each side of the petiole are called stipules. Leaves lacking a petiole are called sessile, or clasping when they partly surround the...
leaves, which are sometimes leathery (found at the genus
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
Ochna
Ochna
Ochna is a genus comprising 86 species of evergreen trees, shrubs and shrublets belonging to the family Ochnaceae. These species are native to tropical woodlands of Africa or Asia. Species of this genus are usually called Ochnas or Mickey-mouse plants, a name coming from the shape of the drupelet...
). The leaves are most often simple and alternate, but can be racemose, paniculate or more rarely pinnate
Pinnate
Pinnate is a term used to describe feather-like or multi-divided features arising from both sides of a common axis in plant or animal structures, and comes from the Latin word pinna meaning "feather", "wing", or "fin". A similar term is pectinate, which refers to a comb-like arrangement of parts...
. Pinnate leaves are typical of Godoya.
These species are hermaphrodite
Hermaphrodite
In biology, a hermaphrodite is an organism that has reproductive organs normally associated with both male and female sexes.Many taxonomic groups of animals do not have separate sexes. In these groups, hermaphroditism is a normal condition, enabling a form of sexual reproduction in which both...
.
Subdivisions
Subfamily OchnoideaeThis subfamily is characterized by the absence of endosperm
Endosperm
Endosperm is the tissue produced inside the seeds of most flowering plants around the time of fertilization. It surrounds the embryo and provides nutrition in the form of starch, though it can also contain oils and protein. This makes endosperm an important source of nutrition in human diet...
in the seed
Seed
A seed is a small embryonic plant enclosed in a covering called the seed coat, usually with some stored food. It is the product of the ripened ovule of gymnosperm and angiosperm plants which occurs after fertilization and some growth within the mother plant...
.
- Tribe Elvasieae
- ElvasiaElvasiaElvasia is a Neotropical genus of plant of family Ochnaceae. It is the only genus of tribe Elvasieae.-External links:*...
(also Hostmannia, Trichovaselia or Vaselia)
- Elvasia
- Tribe Lophireae (sometimes stands alone as family Lophiraceae)
- LophiraLophiraLophira is a genus of plant in family Ochnaceae.Species include:* Lophira alata, Banks ex Gaertn....
- Lophira
- Tribe Ochneae
- OchnaOchnaOchna is a genus comprising 86 species of evergreen trees, shrubs and shrublets belonging to the family Ochnaceae. These species are native to tropical woodlands of Africa or Asia. Species of this genus are usually called Ochnas or Mickey-mouse plants, a name coming from the shape of the drupelet...
(also Diporidium)
- Ochna
- Tribe Ourateeae
- OurateaOurateaOuratea is a genus of flowering plants in the wild plane family .Species include:* Ouratea amplectens* Ouratea boliviana Van Tieghem* Ouratea brevicalyx* Ouratea cocleensis* Ouratea confertiflora Engl....
(also Kaieteuria)
- Ouratea
Subfamily Luxemburgoideae
This subfamily is characterized by the presence of endosperm
Endosperm
Endosperm is the tissue produced inside the seeds of most flowering plants around the time of fertilization. It surrounds the embryo and provides nutrition in the form of starch, though it can also contain oils and protein. This makes endosperm an important source of nutrition in human diet...
in the seed.
- Tribe Euthemideae
- EuthemisEuthemisEuthemis is a genus of plant in family Ochnaceae.Species include:* Euthemis minor, Jack...
- GomphiaGomphiaGomphia is a genus of plant in family Ochnaceae.Species include* Gomphia serrata, Korth....
(also CampylospermumCampylospermumCampylospermum is a genus of plant in family Ochnaceae.Species include:* Campylospermum letouzeyi, Farron* Campylospermum scheffleri, Farron...
, Idertia, Rhabdophyllum)
- Euthemis
- Tribe Luxernburgieae
- Godoya
- Luxemburgia (also Charidion, Hilairella, Epiblepharis, Periblepharis, Plectanthera)
- Philacra
- SauvagesiaSauvagesiaSauvagesia is a genus of plant in family Ochnaceae.Species include:* Sauvagesia brevipetala, Gilli* Sauvagesia erecta...
(also Neckia, Leitgebia, Lavradia, Pentaspatella, Roraimanthus, Vausagesia ) - SauvagesiaSauvagesiaSauvagesia is a genus of plant in family Ochnaceae.Species include:* Sauvagesia brevipetala, Gilli* Sauvagesia erecta...
. This genus is sometimes erected to tribe Sauvagesieae. - Schuurmansia
- Wallacea
Other genera
-
- Adenarake
- Blastemanthus
- BrackenridgeaBrackenridgeaBrackenridgea is a genus of plant in family Ochnaceae.Species include:* Brackenridgea hookeri, A.Gray* Brackenridgea palustris, Bartell...
(also Pleuroridgea) - Cespedesia (also Fournieria)
- FleurydoraFleurydoraFleurydora is a genus of plant in family Ochnaceae.Species include:* Fleurydora felicis, A. Chev....
- Froesia (formerly recognized in the QuiinaceaeQuiinaceaeQuiinaceae Engl. is a neotropical family of flowering plants in the Malpighiales, consisting of about 50 species in 4 genera . The APG III system of flowering plant classification does not recognize such a family, instead including these genera in the Ochnaceae family.- External links :* in ...
) - Godoya
- Indosinia (also Distephania or Indovethia)
- LacunariaLacunariaLacunaria is a genus of plant in family Ochnaceae. It contains the following species :* Lacunaria panamensis, Standl....
(formerly recognized in the QuiinaceaeQuiinaceaeQuiinaceae Engl. is a neotropical family of flowering plants in the Malpighiales, consisting of about 50 species in 4 genera . The APG III system of flowering plant classification does not recognize such a family, instead including these genera in the Ochnaceae family.- External links :* in ...
) - LophiraLophiraLophira is a genus of plant in family Ochnaceae.Species include:* Lophira alata, Banks ex Gaertn....
- Medusagyne (formerly recognized in the Medusagynaceae)
- Krukoviella (also PlanchonellaPlanchonellaPlanchonella is a genus of flowering trees in the gutta-percha family, Sapotaceae. Named in honour of Jules Émile Planchon, it contains around 100 mainly tropical species, two of which reach South America and about 18 make it to Australia. It was described by Jean Baptiste Louis Pierre...
) - Perissocarpa
- Poecilandra
- QuiinaQuiinaQuiina is a genus of plant in family Ochnaceae. It contains the following species :* Quiina colonensis, D'Arcy* Quiina jamaicensis, Griseb.* Quiina schippii...
(formerly recognized in the QuiinaceaeQuiinaceaeQuiinaceae Engl. is a neotropical family of flowering plants in the Malpighiales, consisting of about 50 species in 4 genera . The APG III system of flowering plant classification does not recognize such a family, instead including these genera in the Ochnaceae family.- External links :* in ...
) - Rhytidanthera
- Schuurmansia
- Schuurmansiella
- Sinia
- TestuleaTestuleaTestulea is a genus of plant in family Ochnaceae.Species include:* Testulea gabonensis, Pellegr....
- Touroulia (formerly recognized in the QuiinaceaeQuiinaceaeQuiinaceae Engl. is a neotropical family of flowering plants in the Malpighiales, consisting of about 50 species in 4 genera . The APG III system of flowering plant classification does not recognize such a family, instead including these genera in the Ochnaceae family.- External links :* in ...
) - Tyleria (also Adenanthe)
Taxonomy note
This the following families are treated as synonyms of Ochnaceae:- Euthemidaceae Van Tiegh.
- Lophiraceae Endl.Stephan Ladislaus EndlicherStephan Ladislaus Endlicher was an Austrian botanist, numismatist and Sinologist. He was a director of the Botanical Garden of Vienna. He was born in Pressburg and died in Vienna....
- Luxemburgiaceae Van Tiegh.
- Sauvagesiaceae Dum.
- Simabaceae Horan. (p.p.)
- Wallaceaceae Van Tiegh.
The following families are excluded from Ochnaceae:
- Diegodendraceae
- Strasburgeriaceae