Achatocarpaceae

Phaulothamnus spinescens, berries

The Achatocarpaceae are a plant family of the order clove -like ( Caryophyllales ). The only two genera with seven to twelve species are distributed only in the Neotropics.

Description and ecology

There are deciduous, rarely small trees or shrubs usually, sometimes climbing. They are often spiny. The simple leaves are opposite or spirally arranged on the branches. The leaf margins are smooth. The leaves are often succulent and color during drying black. Stipules absent.

They are dioecious ( dioecious ) or monoecious ( monoecious ) getrenntgeschlechtig. There is a great diversity in the structure of the pendent inflorescences, which often contain only a few flowers. The bracts are greenish. The unisexual, relatively small flowers are radial symmetry and four - or mostly fünfzählig. There are only four or five green, sepal -like bracts free available. The male flowers contain ten to twenty fertile stamens. Two carpels are fused to a constant above, unilocular ovary. The two are horn-shaped stylus. There is only one ovule with basal placentation available. The fleshy berries are translucent when ripe or white, still have remnants of the bloom and each contain only one seed. The shiny, black seeds have a small aril.

It is believed that the pollination is carried by birds, but this, there are no scientific studies.

Systematics and distribution

Previously, these species were incorporated into the families of the Phytolaccaceae, Caryophyllaceae or Amaranthaceae. Molecular biological studies have suggested that these species result in a monophyletic taxon, which is why they are placed in a separate family Achatocarpaceae.

The areas are located only in the Neotropics. The overall range extends from the southwestern United States until the middle of Chile and Argentina.

The Achatocarpaceae family contains only two genera with seven to twelve species:

• Achatocarpus Triana: The (two to ) about ten species are distributed mainly in the central and north western South America in arid areas: Achatocarpus balansae Schinz & Autran
• Achatocarpus brasiliensis H.Walter
• Achatocarpus brevipedicellatus H.Walter
• Achatocarpus gracilis H.Walter
• Achatocarpus hasslerianus Heimerl
• Achatocarpus mexicanus H.Walter
• Achatocarpus microcarpus Schinz & Autran
• Achatocarpus nigricans Triana: It comes in Colombia and Ecuador only in El Oro ago
• Achatocarpus oaxacanus Standlschmaus.
• Achatocarpus praecox Griseb.
• Achatocarpus pubescens CHWright: It comes in western South America in Ecuador, El Oro, Guayas, Loja and Manabi and only in Peru in Tumbes before.

• Phaulothamnus spinescens A.Gray: It comes from Texas prior to northern Mexico.

Swell

• The Achatocarpaceae in APWebsite family. (Sections systematics and description)
• The Achatocarpaceae family at DELTA by L. Watson & MJ Dallwitz. ( Description section )
• Barney L. Lipscomb: Achatocarpaceae, pp. 4 - text the same online as printed work, In: Flora of North America Editorial Committee ( eds.): Flora of North America North of Mexico, Volume 4 - Magnoliophyta: Caryophyllidae, part 1, Oxford University Press, New York and Oxford, April 8, 2004. ISBN 0-19-517389-9 (sections reporting and dissemination )
• Daniela Zappi: Neotropical Achatocarpaceae, 2009 Neotropikey - Neotropical Flowering Plants - Interactive key and information resources for flowering plants of the Neotropics.
• P. Cuénoud, V. Savolainen, LW Chatrou, M. Powell, RJ Grayer and MW Chase: Molecular phylogenetics of Caryophyllales based on nuclear 18S rDNA and plastid rbcL, atpB, and matK DNA sequences, In: American Journal of Botany, Volume 89, Issue 1, 2002, pp. 132-144.