Philydraceae

Taxonomy

Family name: Philydraceae Link

Synonym(s): [none]

Common name(s): philydrum family

*Number of genera/species: 3/6

List of genera records in GRIN-Global

Disseminule

fruit or seed

Description

Fruit dehiscentdehiscent:
(v. dehisce) splitting open at maturity to release contents (of a fruit)
, loculicidalloculicidal:
type of capsular dehiscence, opening longitudinally through the locules (compare septicidal)
capsulecapsule:
a dry, dehiscent fruit formed by two or more carpels
3-valved, sometimes a septicidalsepticidal:
type of capsular dehiscence, opening longitudinally by separating between the septa of adjacent carpels
capsulecapsule:
a dry, dehiscent fruit formed by two or more carpels
or indehiscentindehiscent:
not opening on its own, as in a fruit
, 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.
(Helmholtzia), 3–10 mm long, globoseglobose:
3D shape—more or less spherical
to fusiformfusiform:
spindle-shaped; broadest at the middle and tapering at both ends
, tereteterete:
approximately circular in cross section; width and thickness approximately equal
in transectiontransection:
a cross section; representing a plane made by cutting across an organ at a right angle to its length
, many seeded. Pericarppericarp:
fruit wall or fruit coat
white, blue, brown, smooth, sometimes pubescentpubescent:
surface relief—bearing hairs
.

Seed linearlinear:
(shape) long, narrow, and uniform in width; (of embryo) embryo is straight and much longer than wide
to teardrop-shapedteardrop-shaped:
2D shape—widest point is toward one end of the fruit, the other end tapers sharply to a pointed end
, tereteterete:
approximately circular in cross section; width and thickness approximately equal
in transectiontransection:
a cross section; representing a plane made by cutting across an organ at a right angle to its length
, less than 1 mm (Philydrum, Philydrella) to 1.5–5 mm long (Helmholtzia), usually with red-colored chalazal cap and an operculumoperculum:
a dehiscent cap (or lid) of a seed or fruit that opens during germination or dehiscence
. Seed coat red, yellow, or brown, reticulate-rugose (Philydrella), spirally striate-tuberculate (Philydrum), or silky-striate (Helmholtzia). In one species of Helmholtzia, chalazal is twisted and appears like an elaiosomeelaiosome:
a lipid and protein-rich fleshy structure attached to some seeds and fruits, it attracts ants which then disperse the disseminule (e.g., caruncle in the Euphorbiaceae, the aril (outgrowth of the funiculus) in the Fabaceae)
.

Embryo linearlinear:
(shape) long, narrow, and uniform in width; (of embryo) embryo is straight and much longer than wide
, straight, axileaxile:
on or of the axis
and centric, embedded in endospermendosperm:
nutritive starch- and oil-containing tissue present in many seeds
. Endospermendosperm:
nutritive starch- and oil-containing tissue present in many seeds
copious, non-mealy.

Identification features

Fruit
Type capsule, berry
Size range 3–10 mm long
Shape(s) ovoid, globoseglobose:
3D shape—more or less spherical
, fusiformfusiform:
spindle-shaped; broadest at the middle and tapering at both ends
, oblongoblong:
2D shape—much longer than broad with nearly parallel sides, corners are rounded
, ellipsoid
Texture fleshy fleshy:
texture—fairly firm and dense, juicy or at least moist, and easily cut
or dry
Surface relief smooth, sometimes pubescent
Color(s) white, blue, brown
Unique features Small, brown, 3-valved capsulescapsules:
a dry, dehiscent fruit formed by two or more carpels
, opening on plant, releasing small, numerous seeds. Or, small, white or blue, fleshyfleshy:
texture—fairly firm and dense, juicy or at least moist, and easily cut
, many-seeded berriesberries:
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.
.
Seed
Size range less than 1 mm or 1.5–5 mm long
Shape(s) ovoid, teardrop-shapedteardrop-shaped:
2D shape—widest point is toward one end of the fruit, the other end tapers sharply to a pointed end
, ellipsoidellipsoid:
3D shape—elliptic
, linearlinear:
(shape) long, narrow, and uniform in width; (of embryo) embryo is straight and much longer than wide
, cylindricalcylindrical:
3D shape—a cylinder, with parallel sides and a circular cross-section; tubular or rod-shaped
, oblong
Surface relief striate, reticulatereticulate:
surface relief—netted, raised walls or concave grooves forming a net-like surface pattern with flat, concave, or convex interspaces
, wrinkled
Color(s) red, brown, yellow
Unique features Minute to small seeds, usually with reddish-brown, striatestriate:
surface relief—having fine, parallel lines, grooves or ridges
or reticulatereticulate:
surface relief—netted, raised walls or concave grooves forming a net-like surface pattern with flat, concave, or convex interspaces
seed coats and red-colored chalazal caps and opercula.
Other
Embryo linear, straight, axileaxile:
on or of the axis
and centric, embedded in endosperm
Nutritive tissuenutritive tissue:
tissue within the seeds that nourishes the developing embryo; such as endosperm, perisperm, or chalazosperm in angiosperms; megagametophyte in gymnosperms
endosperm endosperm:
nutritive starch- and oil-containing tissue present in many seeds
copious, non-mealy

Distribution

Australia to Southeast Asia.

Distribution map courtesy of Angiosperm Phylogeny Website.

References

Baskin and Baskin 2021Baskin and Baskin 2021:
Baskin C and Baskin J. 2021. Relationship of the lateral embryo (in grasses) to other monocot embryos: A status up-grade. Seed Science Research 31 (3): 199-210. doi:10.1017/S0960258521000209
; Dahlgren et al. 1985Dahlgren et al. 1985:
Dahlgren RMT, Clifford HT, and Yeo PF. 1985. The families of the monocotyledons: structure, evolution, and taxonomy. Springer-Verlag, Berlin. 520 pp.
; Flora of Australia 2021+Flora of Australia 2021+:
Flora of Australia. Australian Biological Resources Study, Canberra. Accessed January-May 2021. URL: http://www.ausflora.org.au
; Kirkbride et al. 2006Kirkbride et al. 2006:
Kirkbride JH, Jr, Gunn CR, and Dallwitz MJ. 2006. Family guide for fruits and seeds, vers. 1.0. Accessed September 2020ndash;January 2022. URL: https://nt.ars-grin.gov/seedsfruits/keys/frsdfam/index.cfm .
; Kubitzki et al. 1990+Kubitzki et al. 1990+:
Kubitzki K et al., eds. 1990+. The families and genera of vascular plants. 7+ vols. Berlin etc.
; Skottsberg 1948Skottsberg 1948:
Skottsberg C. 1948. Philydraceae. Flora Malesiana Ser.1, Spermatophyta 4 (1): 5ndash;7. https://doi.org/10.5962/bhl.title.40744

*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): 201ndash;217. https://doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.261.3.1
, which may differ from the number of genera in GRIN-Global.

  Infructescence :  Philydrum lanuginosum ; Photo by B. Lassiter, NCDA&CS, bugwood.org

Infructescence: Philydrum lanuginosum; Photo by B. Lassiter, NCDA&CS, bugwood.org

  Fruit:   Philydrum languinosum ; Photo by R. Gibbons, USDA APHIS PPQ, Kirkbride et al. (2006)

Fruit: Philydrum languinosum; Photo by R. Gibbons, USDA APHIS PPQ, Kirkbride et al. (2006)

  Seeds :  Philydrum lanuginosum ; Photo by B. Lassiter, NCDA&CS, bugwood.org

Seeds: Philydrum lanuginosum; Photo by B. Lassiter, NCDA&CS, bugwood.org

  Seeds:   Philydrum languinosum ; Photo by R. Gibbons, USDA APHIS PPQ, Kirkbride et al. (2006)

Seeds: Philydrum languinosum; Photo by R. Gibbons, USDA APHIS PPQ, Kirkbride et al. (2006)

  Embryo:   Philydrum languinosum ; Illustration by K. Parker, Kirkbride et al. (2006)

Embryo: Philydrum languinosum; Illustration by K. Parker, Kirkbride et al. (2006)

  Fruits :  Helmholtzia glaberrima ; Photo by Erika Birmingham, gbif.org

Fruits: Helmholtzia glaberrima; Photo by Erika Birmingham, gbif.org