Content is from Kirkbride et al. 2006, without modification. Updates are forthcoming.
Fruits: Pistil(s) compound; 1; 1-pistillate; with carpels united. Fruit pericarpium; simple; capsule; loculicidal capsule; capsule not inflated; capsule without operculum; without persistent central column; within accessory organ(s); within calyx; 1-seeded to more than 1 but less than 10-seeded; 1–3-seeded; with 3-carpellate (2 both often empty); with carpels united; with carpels remaining united at maturity; with carpels not radiating at maturity; with carpels remaining connected at style; without sterile carpels; not sulcate; in transection terete; apex not beaked; wall leathery; dehiscent. Dehiscent unit seed(s). Dehiscent and shedding seeds; without replum. Epicarp brown (all shades); shiny; durable; glabrous; without armature; smooth; without wing(s); without apical respiratory hole. Mesocarp absent. Endocarp present; not separating from exocarp; thin; not splitting into 1-seeded pyrenes; smooth; without wing; without operculum; without secretory cavities; without mechanism for seedling escape; without grooves; without longitudinal ridges. Funiculus short; short without seed bearing hooks (retinacula); not persisting in fruit after seed shed.
Seeds: Aril absent. Seed larger than minute; 10 to less than 25 mm long; 14–17 mm long; oblong; in transection sub triangular; not bowl shaped; not nutlike; without winglike beak; without caudate appendage(s); at maturity with food reserves, or without food reserves, or without apparent food reserves; with endosperm; without canavanine. Sarcotesta absent. Testa present; without markedly different marginal tissue; without fleshy or leathery layer over hard layer; tight; shiny; surface unsmooth; surface with merged raised features; surface reticulate, or ribbed, or wrinkled; without crease or line separating cotyledons from hypocotyl-radicle; without notch along margin where cotyledons from hypocotyl-radicle tip approach each other; with glands; without bristles; pubescent; with hairs over surface; with short hairs; with straight hairs; with glandular pubescence; without wings; without collar; without operculum; colored; monochrome; reddish- brown (all shades), or black; coriaceous; not becoming mucilaginous when wetted; surrounding embryo, or surrounding food reserve. Endosperm development nuclear; trace. Embryo differentiated from food reserve; well developed; 1 per seed; nearly filling testa (trace or scanty food reserve); 1 times the length of food reserve; at one end of seed not extending into a depression or cup; foliate; with investing cotyledons; straight; parallel to seed length; with cotyledons abruptly connected to hypocotyl-radicle; without coleorhiza; with simmondsin (cyanogenic glucoside) (& a high proportion of an unusual liquid wax); without stomata; not green; with 2 or more cotyledons. Cotyledons 2; well developed; 0.9 times length of embryo; somewhat to significantly wider than hypocotyl-radicle; 5 times wider than hypocotyl-radicle (estimated); partially concealing hypocotyl-radicle; not foliaceous; thick; flat; smooth; with apices entire; with margins separate; basally cordate; equal in size; not punctate dotted. Hypocotyl-radicle small; straight (or very slightly bent); not thickened.
Literature specific to this family: Tobe, H., S. Yasuda, & K. Oginuma. 1992. Seed coat anatomy, karyomorpology, and relationships of Simmondsia (Simmondsiaceae). Bot. Mag. (Tokyo) 105:529–538.
General references: Cronquist, A. 1981. An integrated system of classification of flowering plants, 1,262 p. Columbia University Press, New York, Goldberg, A. 1986 (dicots) & 1989 (monocots). Classification, evolution, and phylogeny of the familes of Dicotyledons. Smithsonian Contr. Bot. 58 for dicots (314 pp.) & 71 for monocots (74 pp.). [Goldberg's illustrations are reproduced from older publications and these should be consulted], Gunn, C.R., J.H. Wiersema, C.A. Ritchie, & J.H. Kirkbride, Jr. 1992 & amendments. Families and genera of Spermatophytes recognized by the Agricultural Research Service. Techn. Bull. U.S.D.A. 1796:1–500, Mabberley, D.J. 1987. The plant-book, 706 p. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, Schopmeyer, C.S. 1974. Seeds of Woody plants in the United States. Agric. Handb. 450:1–883, and Spjut, R.W. 1994. A systematic treatment of fruit types. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 70:1–182.
Authors: M. Islam, A. Miller, M. Maher, J. Scher, A. Redford
Content last updated November 2022
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