Cyrillaceae

Cyrilla racemiflora with racemose inflorescences in South Carolina.

The Cyrillaceae are a plant family within the order of heather -like ( Ericales ) with only two monotypic genera, ie only two ways. They are widespread in the Neotropics.

Description

They are evergreen or deciduous, small trees or shrubs. The alternate and spirally arranged, short -stalked leaves are simple. The leaf margin is smooth. Stipules are not available.

The flowers are in terminal or lateral, very long racemose inflorescences. The very small, fragrant hermaphrodite flowers are radial symmetry and five to siebenzählig double perianth ( perianth ). The five to seven sepals are fused at least at their base. The five to seven white, red, pink or purple petals are fused Roehrig, the corolla tube is shorter than the Corolla lobe. The flowers contain one or two circles, each with five free, fertile stamens. Two to five carpels are fused to a constant above, syncarp nodes. It is a very short style with a usually three-lobed stigma exists.

As fruits dry, one to viersamige stone fruits ( Cyrilla racemiflora ) or two - to five -leaf Samara ( Cliftonia monophylla ) are formed.

Systematics and distribution

Most closely related to the family Cyrillaceae is the family Clethraceae. The genus Purdiaea it was previously assigned to the Cyrillaceae family and reclassified only after recent phylogenetic insights. Some authors have also the genus Clethra assigned to this family.

The two species have areas only in the Neotropics from the southern United States to northern South America.

The family consists of only two genera, each with a type:

  • Cyrilla Garden Cyrilla racemiflora L.: It is distributed from north through Central America to South America.
  • Cliftonia monophylla ( Lam.) Britton ex coffin. It occurs only in the southern United States.

Swell

  • The Cyrillaceae on the APWebsite family. (Sections Description and systematics)
  • The Cyrillaceae at DELTA family there with three genera. ( Description section )
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