Family Name: Phyllanthaceae Martinov
Synonym(s): Antidesmataceae Loudon; Aporosaceae Lindl. ex Planch.; Bischofiaceae Airy Shaw; Euphorbiaceae Juss., nom. cons. subfam. Phyllanthoideae; Hymenocardiaceae Airy Shaw; Porantheraceae Hurus.; Scepaceae Lindl.; Stilaginaceae C. Agardh; Uapacaceae Airy Shaw
Common Name(s): leafflower family
*Number of genera/species: 57/2,050
List of genera records in GRIN-Global
Fruit usually a capsular schizocarpschizocarp:
usually dry fruit splitting between two or more locules to form distinct, indehiscent, usually one seeded segments; fruit derived from a single, superior or inferior, compound ovary; compare to mericarp splitting, often explosively so, into 3(–5) 2-valved, loculicidalloculicidal:
type of capsular dehiscence, opening longitudinally through the locules (compare septicidal)
mericarps, columellacolumella:
any pedestal-like prolongation of a floral receptacle extending beyond the distalmost level of perianth insertion and bearing the gynoecium; the stalk supporting a mericarp after dehiscence of a schizocarpic fruit, the central axis of the fruit having split longitudinally to yield two or four such stalks; composed of receptacular and (primarily) gynoecial tissues, especially in Apiaceae. See carpophore.
persistent, sometimes winged, sometimes a drupedrupe:
(indehiscent drupe) a fleshy, indehiscent fruit with one more hard pits enclosing seeds, derived from single, superior, simple or compound ovary; (dehiscent drupe) a fruit with a dry or fibrous to fleshy or leathery outer husk that early to tardily breaks apart (or opens), exposing one or more nutlike pits enclosing the seeds (1–3 pyrenespyrene:
the hard inner portion of a drupe, consisting of a bony endocarp and an enclosed seed
), berryberry:
an indehiscent, fleshy fruit with one or a few to many seeds. The flesh may be homogenous throughout. Or, if the outer part is hard, firm, or leathery, referred to as an hesperidium. Septa are present in some, and the seeds may be arillate or with a fleshy testa., or samarasamara:
a winged, indehiscent, dry fruit containing a single (rarely two) seed(s), 0.5–30 mm long, usually globoseglobose:
3D shape—more or less spherical or oblateoblate:
depressed globose
, 3-lobed, tereteterete:
approximately circular in cross section; width and thickness approximately equal
in transection, sometimes beakedbeak:
a usually firm, terminal appendage, sometimes tapered, crowned by persistent sepalssepal:
a member of the outer envelope of a flower (calyx) and/or disk. Fruits usually with 2 seeds per loculelocule:
structurally distinct compartment with the fruit
for a total of 6 seeds (3–8) or 1 or 2 seeds per mericarpmericarp:
a one-seeded section (carpel) of a schizocarp, as in Apiaceae fruits (compare schizocarp). Pericarppericarp:
fruit wall or fruit coat
variously colored, fleshy, leatheryleathery:
texture—moderately thick, tough, and very pliable
, woodywoody:
texture—consisting mainly of indurate lignified tissues, characteristic of or resembling wood
, or cartilaginouscartilaginous:
texture—firm, dense, tough, somewhat pliable, and resilient, like cartilage
, glabrousglabrous:
without hairs
, pubescentpubescent:
surface relief—bearing hairs
, or glandularglandular:
surface relief—covered with small, raised secretory glands, regular or irregularly shaped, translucent or opaque, and maybe distinctly colored, smooth or groovedgrooved:
surface relief—linear depressions that may be single or form a series of grooves over the surface, reticulatereticulate:
surface relief—netted, raised walls or concave grooves forming a net-like surface pattern with flat, concave, or convex interspaces, veiny, wrinkledwrinkled:
surface relief—shallow, irregular folds and furrows covering the surface; appearing overall though crumpled and then spread out, wartywarty:
surface relief—distinct, rounded projections that are large relative to the fruit size; tuberculate, verrucose, or papillosepapillate:
surface relief—bearing minute, distinct, broad-based projections, tapering to a rounded apex. Exocarpexocarp:
outer layer of fruit wall or pericarp, if divided into layers; note here used synonymously with epicarp often distinct from endocarpendocarp:
the inner layer of the pericarp, if divided into layers, then exocarpexocarp:
outer layer of fruit wall or pericarp, if divided into layers; note here used synonymously with epicarp fleshy and endocarpendocarp:
the inner layer of the pericarp, if divided into layers papery, bonybony:
very hard and rather brittle, like bone
, or fibrousfibrous:
texture -- long, flexible threads, thicker than hairs, that densely cover and obscure the surface. Samaras (Hymenocardia) 2-winged with wings forming a distinct V-shape or encircling fruits.
Seeds usually trigonoustrigonous:
3D shape—having three faces that meet at distinct angles; triangular in outline
, tereteterete:
approximately circular in cross section; width and thickness approximately equal
, compressedcompressed:
flattened; in grasses, used to denote compression (not necessarily flattened) either laterally or dorsiventrally
, or angledangular:
2D shape—having sides that meet at acute or obtuse angles
in transection, 0.4–16 mm long. Usually without carunclescaruncle:
a localized outgrowth of the seed coat near the hilum of the seed; it functions as an elaiosome, except minute carunclescaruncle:
a localized outgrowth of the seed coat near the hilum of the seed; it functions as an elaiosome present in Celianella. ArilsAril:
(broad sense) appendicular structure that wholly or partly envelops a seed and is produced from or a modification of the funicle, raphe, or outer integument; usually fleshy or pulpy, sometimes spongy or tufted-capillate, often brightly colored present in Actephila spp., Aporosa, and Baccaurea, usually thin, fleshy, yellow, orange, red, or white, and surround seeds. SarcotestasSarcotesta:
pulpy or fleshy outer layer of the seed coat, simulates aril sometimes present. Seed coat dark or brightly colored, often shinyshiny:
uniformly reflecting a high proportion of incident light at all angles, thin or thick, fleshy or dry, crustaceouscrustaceous:
texture—thin, dry, indurate, and brittle
, bonybony:
very hard and rather brittle, like bone
, or sometimes woodywoody:
texture—consisting mainly of indurate lignified tissues, characteristic of or resembling wood
, smooth or variously ornamented or sculptured. Hila often larger than punctatepunctate:
surface relief—dotted with pits or with translucent, sunken glands or with colored dots, similar to pitted, submedial or terminal, ellipticelliptic:
2D shape—oval, oblong-like with the 2 ends narrowing and more or less alike
, obtriangularobtriangular:
2D shape—inversely triangular, with point of attachment at narrow end, circularcircular:
(of embryo) linear embryo is curved into an "O" shape, oblongoblong:
2D shape—much longer than broad with nearly parallel sides, corners are rounded, or linearlinear:
(shape) long, narrow, and uniform in width; (of embryo) embryo is straight and much longer than wide.
Embryo well developed, straight or curvedcurved:
(of embryo) linear embryo is curved into an arch or horseshoe with the ends far apart, sometimes green.
Endosperm absent, scanty, or copious, if copious, fleshy.
Fruit | |
Type | capsular schizocarpschizocarp: usually dry fruit splitting between two or more locules to form distinct, indehiscent, usually one seeded segments; fruit derived from a single, superior or inferior, compound ovary; compare to mericarp ![]() (indehiscent drupe) a fleshy, indehiscent fruit with one more hard pits enclosing seeds, derived from single, superior, simple or compound ovary; (dehiscent drupe) a fruit with a dry or fibrous to fleshy or leathery outer husk that early to tardily breaks apart (or opens), exposing one or more nutlike pits enclosing the seeds ![]() an indehiscent, fleshy fruit with one or a few to many seeds. The flesh may be homogenous throughout. Or, if the outer part is hard, firm, or leathery, referred to as an hesperidium. Septa are present in some, and the seeds may be arillate or with a fleshy testa. ![]() a winged, indehiscent, dry fruit containing a single (rarely two) seed(s) ![]() |
Size range | 0.5–30 mm long |
Shape(s) | usually globoseglobose: 3D shape—more or less spherical ![]() depressed globose and 3-lobed, sometimes ellipsoidellipsoid: 3D shape—elliptic , ovoidovoid: 3D shape—ovate ![]() 3D shape—obovate , trigonoustrigonous: 3D shape—having three faces that meet at distinct angles; triangular in outline , rarely discoiddiscoid: 3D shape—resembling a disc ![]() 2D shape—four-sided, as in a square or rectangle ![]() 3D shape—broadly obovoid-obconic |
Texture | fleshy, leatheryleathery: texture—moderately thick, tough, and very pliable , woodywoody: texture—consisting mainly of indurate lignified tissues, characteristic of or resembling wood , cartilaginouscartilaginous: texture—firm, dense, tough, somewhat pliable, and resilient, like cartilage |
Surface relief | smooth, groovedgrooved: surface relief—linear depressions that may be single or form a series of grooves over the surface ![]() surface relief—netted, raised walls or concave grooves forming a net-like surface pattern with flat, concave, or convex interspaces ![]() surface relief—shallow, irregular folds and furrows covering the surface; appearing overall though crumpled and then spread out ![]() surface relief—distinct, rounded projections that are large relative to the fruit size; tuberculate, verrucose ![]() surface relief—bearing minute, distinct, broad-based projections, tapering to a rounded apex ![]() |
Color(s) | gray, black, purple, green, brown, yellow, orange, red, pink, white, sometimes streaked |
Unique features | Usually a globoseglobose: 3D shape—more or less spherical ![]() depressed globose , 3-lobed, capsular schizocarpschizocarp: usually dry fruit splitting between two or more locules to form distinct, indehiscent, usually one seeded segments; fruit derived from a single, superior or inferior, compound ovary; compare to mericarp ![]() type of capsular dehiscence, opening longitudinally through the locules (compare septicidal) ![]() any pedestal-like prolongation of a floral receptacle extending beyond the distalmost level of perianth insertion and bearing the gynoecium; the stalk supporting a mericarp after dehiscence of a schizocarpic fruit, the central axis of the fruit having split longitudinally to yield two or four such stalks; composed of receptacular and (primarily) gynoecial tissues, especially in Apiaceae. See carpophore. . MericarpsMericarp: a one-seeded section (carpel) of a schizocarp, as in Apiaceae fruits (compare schizocarp) ![]() (indehiscent drupe) a fleshy, indehiscent fruit with one more hard pits enclosing seeds, derived from single, superior, simple or compound ovary; (dehiscent drupe) a fruit with a dry or fibrous to fleshy or leathery outer husk that early to tardily breaks apart (or opens), exposing one or more nutlike pits enclosing the seeds ![]() the hard inner portion of a drupe, consisting of a bony endocarp and an enclosed seed ), berryberry: an indehiscent, fleshy fruit with one or a few to many seeds. The flesh may be homogenous throughout. Or, if the outer part is hard, firm, or leathery, referred to as an hesperidium. Septa are present in some, and the seeds may be arillate or with a fleshy testa. ![]() a winged, indehiscent, dry fruit containing a single (rarely two) seed(s) ![]() |
Seed | |
Size range | 0.4–16 mm long |
Shape(s) | hemisphericalhemispherical: 2D shape—shaped like half a sphere , globoseglobose: 3D shape—more or less spherical ![]() 2D shape—circular in outline, 3D shape—globose ![]() 3D shape—elliptic , fusiformfusiform: spindle-shaped; broadest at the middle and tapering at both ends ![]() 3D shape—ovate ![]() 2D or 3D shape—kidney-shaped ![]() 3D shape—having three faces that meet at distinct angles; triangular in outline , prismaticprismatic: like a prism; with sharp, definite angles and flat sides , crescent-shapedcrescent-shaped: 2D shape—arcuate or curved, broadest at the middle, and attenuate to acute ends; like a stylized outline of a first-quarter moon ![]() |
Surface relief | smooth, striatestriate: surface relief—having fine, parallel lines, grooves or ridges ![]() surface relief—raised, thick ridges, sharp edged or rounded, usually in a series that may cover the entire surface ![]() surface relief—wide, prominent, linear ridges that are generally rounded and longitudinally situated on the surface ![]() surface relief—covered with irregular raised, hollow granules that give the surface a bubbled appearance ![]() surface relief—netted, raised walls or concave grooves forming a net-like surface pattern with flat, concave, or convex interspaces ![]() surface relief—bearing minute, distinct, broad-based projections, tapering to a rounded apex ![]() surface relief—surface with small depressions in which the areas between the hollows do not take on the appearance of a true reticular net ![]() surface relief—distinct, rounded projections that are large relative to the fruit size; tuberculate, verrucose ![]() surface relief—shallow, irregular folds and furrows covering the surface; appearing overall though crumpled and then spread out ![]() (of embryo) linear embryo is curved into an "O" shape ![]() |
Color(s) | gray, black, purple, blue, green, brown, red-brown, yellow, orange, red |
Unique features | Seeds usually trigonoustrigonous: 3D shape—having three faces that meet at distinct angles; triangular in outline without carunclecaruncle: a localized outgrowth of the seed coat near the hilum of the seed; it functions as an elaiosome ![]() a localized outgrowth of the seed coat near the hilum of the seed; it functions as an elaiosome ![]() (broad sense) appendicular structure that wholly or partly envelops a seed and is produced from or a modification of the funicle, raphe, or outer integument; usually fleshy or pulpy, sometimes spongy or tufted-capillate, often brightly colored ![]() |
Other | |
Embryo | well developed, straight or curvedcurved: (of embryo) linear embryo is curved into an arch or horseshoe with the ends far apart ![]() |
Nutritive tissue | endosperm absent, scanty, or copious, if copious, fleshy |
Tropical regions, especially Malesia
Distribution map courtesy of Angiosperm Phylogeny Website.
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*The number of genera and species is based on Christenhusz and Byng 2016Christenhusz and Byng 2016:
Christenhusz MJM and Byng JW. 2016. The number of known plant species in the world and its annual increase. Phytotaxa 261 (3): 201-217. https://doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.261.3.1, which may differ from the number of genera in GRIN-Global.