Achariaceae Harms

Milliken, W., Klitgard, B. and Baracat, A. (2009 onwards), Neotropikey - Interactive key and information resources for flowering plants of the Neotropics. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

Morphology General Habit

Trees or shrubs

Morphology Leaves

Leaves alternate simple, sometimes crowded toward apex (Carpotroche), spirally or sub -distichously arranged (Chiangiodendron), pinnately veined (with numerous parallel secondaries like Clusia in Kuhlmanniodendron), margins entire to serrate or dentate, glabrous or pubescent with simple trichomes or (rarely) scales, petioles short to long, often thickened at the base and apex, stipulate or exstipulate (Chiangiodendron)

Morphology Reproductive morphology

Sexuality bisexual, andromonoecious, monoecious, dioecious, or androdioecious

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers solitary or inflorescences of fascicles, racemes, or panicles; axillary, sub - terminal, or cauliflorous

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Hypanthium

Hypanthium lacking

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Sepals (2-) 3 (or 5 in Chiangiodendron), sometimes caducous

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Petals (5 in Chiangiodendron) otherwise 6-12, sometimes longer than the sepals, sometimes caducous, rarely with an adaxial fleshy scale / appendage (Chiangiodendron)

Disc

Disk absent

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Stamens 5 to numerous (ca. 50), filaments glabrous or pubescent, anthers linear -elongate or sagittate (Chiangiodendron), longitudinally dehiscent

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium

Gynoecium of one pistil, ovary superior, unilocular, placentation parietal, style (s) 1-8(-10), stigmas obscure, capitellate, or lacerate

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruits baccate or capsular, sometimes tardily dehiscent, thin or thick / woody, smooth or ornamented with warts, spines, bristles, or vertical wings

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds 1 to numerous, arillate

Note

Achariaceae were traditionally a small South African family of flowering plants. Recent phylogenetic analyses using DNA sequence data affirm that Achariaceae s.s. are nested within the cyanogenic taxa of the former Flacourtiaceae (tribes Pangieae, Lindackerieae [Oncobeae, in part], and Erythrospermeae). These taxa have been united in one family, which takes the name with priority, Achariaceae (Eurosids I: Malpighiales). Occasionally, the taxa of the former Flacourtiaceae have been segregated from Achariaceae into the family Kiggelariaceae, but more recent studies do not support this exclusion. The family is not very diverse in the Neotropics; more genera and species occur in tropical Africa and Asia. Number of genera: Carpotroche (11 spp.) - Endemic.  Fruits winged, sometimes wings lacerate. Chiangiodendron (1 sp.) - Endemic.  Petals with adaxial bifid scale. Kuhlmanniodendron (1 sp.) - Endemic.  Leaf venation like Clusia. Lindackeria (6 spp.) - Native.  Fruits warty or with thick, sharp projections. Mayna (5-6 spp.) - Endemic.  Fruits with slender bristles.

Distribution

Carpotroche Endl. - Guatemala to Brazil. Chiangiodendron Wendt - Mexico. Kuhlmanniodendron Fiaschi & Groppo - Brazil. Lindackeria C.Presl - Mexico to Brazil and Bolivia. Mayna Aubl. - Honduras to Brazil and Bolivia.

Diagnostic

Key differences from similar families: Achariaceae are a heterogeneous family, but most of the Neotropical taxa (except for Chiangiodendron) belong to tribe Lindackerieae, which are usually distinctive in having longer and more numerous petals than sepals, linear -elongate anthers, and ornamented fruits. Most Achariaceae, including Chiangiodendron, also have flexed petioles with thickened bases and apices. Distinguishing characters (always present): Trees or shrubs (in the Neotropics). Leaves simple and alternate. Placentation parietal. Leaf bases usually acute to long-cuneate. Petiole thickened at base and apex, often flexed. Inflorescences axillary (or sub-terminal). Petals usually longer and more numerous than the sepals (except Chiangiodendron). Anthers linear-elongate (sagittate in Chiangiodendron). Variable and sometimes uncommon sexual conditions (bisexual, andromonoecious, monoecious, dioecious, or androdioecious). Fruits often highly ornamented (tubercles, warts, or thick spines in Lindackeria; thin bristles in Mayna; wings or lacerate wings in Carpotroche). Sometimes cauliflorous (Carpotroche). Cyanogenic. Key to genera of Neotropical Achariaceae 1. Sepals 5; petals 5; stamens, if present, 5 ...Chiangiodendron 1. Sepals (2-)3; petals (4-)6-12; stamens, if present, 14 or more...2 2. Style 1; fruit surface with warts or coarse, fibrous spines ...Lindackeria2. Styles (2-)3-8(-10); fruit surface smooth, with vertical ridges or wings, or covered with slender bristles...3 3. Leaf venation Clusia -like (dense, straight, parallel secondary and intersecondary veins which end in a marginal vein); scaly trichomes on leaves present; stamen filaments glabrous; fruit surface essentially smooth ...Kuhlmanniodendron3. Leaf venation not Clusia -like (occasionally secondary veins are straight and parallel but are not dense and do not end in a marginal collecting vein); scaly trichomes absent; stamen filaments hairy; fruit surface with vertical ridges or wings or covered with slender bristles (rarely smooth)...4 4. Fruit berry-like, with a thin fruit wall, covered with slender bristles; styles (2-)3-4(-5) ...Mayna4. Fruit capsular, with a thick fibrous fruit wall, with vertical ridges or wings; styles (4-)6-7(-8)  ...Carpotroche

Timothy Utteridge & Gemma Bramley (2020). The Kew Tropical Plant Families Identification Handbook, Second Edition. Kew Publishing Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

Note

Mostly woody. Leaves simple, alternate. Flowers uni- or bisexual; petals white papery and stamens usually many, or petals with adaxial scale; ovary superior, 1-locular, placentation parietal. Fruit a berry or capsule. Seed often fleshy.

Recognition

Characters of similar families: Euphorbiaceae: flowers unisexual, petal scale absent, ovary rarely 1-locular, placentation axile-apical. Malvaceae hairs usually stellate, petal scale absent, ovary very rarely 1-locular. Phyllanthaceae: flowers unisexual, petal scale absent, ovary rarely 1-locular, placentation axile-apical. Salicaceae: leaves often with distinctive ‘salicoid teeth’, petals present or absent, fruit often a capsule. Elaeocarpaceae: petals fringed, disk present, ovary superior, 2–several locular. [excludes Acharieae]

Morphology General Habit

Trees or shrubs

Morphology General Hair

Hairs simple, rarely stellate or 2-armed

Morphology Leaves Stipules

Stipules present or not

Morphology Leaves Petiole

Petiole sometimes long, base/apex often thickened

Morphology Leaves

Leaves usually alternate, margin entire or toothed

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescence axillary, supra-axillary, rarely terminal, sometimes adnate to petiole or leaf midvein, or cauline; flowers solitary or in racemes; pedicels often articulated

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers bisexual or unisexual, actinomorphic; sepals (2–)3–5(–11), imbricate, free or connate at base, often broadly ovate to suborbicular, reflexed and/or caducous, calyx rarely calyptrate; petals 4–16, usually free, either white and papery or with a usually conspicuous adaxial basal scale; stamens 5–many, alternate with petals or central, filaments usually free (fused in Ryparosa), anthers small or to twice filament length (or more), often sagittate, lanceolate, narrowly oblong or linear; disk absent; ovary superior, 1-locular, placentas 2–8, parietal; style(s) 0–5(–10), entire or lobed/branched at apex, stigma(s) tapering or broadly flattened-palmatifid

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit a berry or capsule, pericarp smooth, warty, bristly or crested, very rarely winged

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seed usually with fleshy often brightly coloured covering or arillode.

Distribution

Pantropical and subtropical, 32 genera, 160 species. Largest genera: Hydnocarpus (40–50 species), Ryparosa (20–25 species), both Old World. Most genera formerly in Flacourtiaceae.

Ecology

In dry or wet forest and scrub in coastal, lowland and upland habitats.

Description Author

Sue Zmarzty