Olacaceae

Olax imbricata, Illustration

The Olacaceae are a plant family in the order of sandalwood ( Santalales ) within the angiosperms ( Magnoliopsida ).

Dissemination

The representatives of the family are worldwide, outside cold areas. Particularly rich in species, the family is in the tropics.

Description

There are woody plants: shrubs, trees or lianas. Some species are root parasites ( hemiparasite ). The simple ganzrandigen leaves are spirally arranged or distichous alternate on the branches. Stipules are not available.

The plants are dioecious, rarely getrenntgeschlechtig ( dioecious ). The small radial symmetry flowers are three to sechszählig and usually hermaphrodite. The bloom are differentiated into sepals and petals. The stamens are fused to each other not; their number is different depending on taxon: 3 to 6, or 6 to 12, or 9 to 18, the most three (rarely two or five) carpels are fused to an above- permanent or semi- superior ovaries.

The fruits always contain only one seed and are either stone fruits or nuts. They have two to six (!) Cotyledons.

The plants accumulate aluminum ions.

System

The Olacaceae family is divided into three subfamilies, (some authors even up to 27 ) genera with about 103 (up to 250 ) which together comprise 14 species. Today, the species of the former families Aptandraceae, Cathedraceae containing Chaunochitaceae ( Chaunochitonaceae ) Harmandiaceae, Strombosiaceae and Ximeniaceae in this family.

According to Daniel L. Nick Rent et al. but only the genera Dulacia, Olax and Ptychopetalum be in taxon, Volume 59, page 538-558, 2010 recently to the family expected.

• Subfamily Anacalosoideae: With seven genera and 32 species: Anacolosa ( flower) flower; with about 17 species in the tropics of Asia, Madagascar and Africa
• Aptandra Miers; with two species from tropical South America and one kind in Africa
• Cathedra Miers; with about 11 species in tropical South America
• Chaunochiton Benth.; with about five species in tropical America
• Harmandia Pierre ex Baill. ; with 1-4 species in Southeast Asia and Malaysia's
• Ongokea Pierre; with only one type: Ongokea gore (Hua ) Pierre; they occur in tropical West Africa

• Dulacia Vell. ; with about 13 species in tropical America
• Olax L.; with about 40 species in Africa and tropical Asia
• Ptychopetalum Benth.; with two species in the tropical Americas and two species in Africa.

• Curupira G. A. Black; with only one type: Curupira tefeensis G. A. Black; it occurs in Brazil

• Douradoa consimilis Sleumer; it occurs in Brazil

• Malania oleifera Chun & S.K. Lee; it occurs in southern China

• Brachynema Benth.; with only two species found in the Amazon region of Peru and Brazil.

Swell

• The Olacaceae in APWebsite family. (English )
• David John Mabberley: Mabberley 's Plant -Book. A portable dictionary of plants, Their classification and uses. 3rd ed Cambridge University Press, 2008. ISBN 978-0-521-82071-4
• Daniel L. Nick Rent et al. A revised classification of Santalales. In: Taxon, Volume 59, page 538-558, 2010.