Melanthiaceae

Taxonomy

Family name: Melanthiaceae Batsch ex Borkh.

Synonym(s): Chionographidaceae Takht.; Heloniadaceae J. Agardh; Paridaceae Dumort.; Trilliaceae Chevall., nom. cons.; Veratraceae Salisb.; Xerophyllaceae Takht.

Common name(s): death camas family

*Number of genera/species: 17/172

List of genera records in GRIN-Global

Disseminule

fruit or seed

Description

Fruit dehiscent, septicidalsepticidal:
type of capsular dehiscence, opening longitudinally by separating between the septa of adjacent carpels
or loculicidalloculicidal:
type of capsular dehiscence, opening longitudinally through the locules (compare septicidal)
capsulecapsule:
a dry, dehiscent fruit formed by two or more carpels
 or folliclefollicle:
a dry to (rarely) fleshy fruit derived from a single carpel that opens along a single longitudinal suture; the seeds may be arillate or with a fleshy testa
(aggregate), 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.
(Kinugasa, Paris, Pseudotrillium, Trillidium, and some species of Trillium), 5–50 mm long, globoseglobose:
3D shape—more or less spherical
to oblongoblong:
2D shape—much longer than broad with nearly parallel sides, corners are rounded
, often 3-lobed, sometimes with persistent stylestyle:
in a flower, the narrow and elongated part of the pistil between the stigma and the ovary; sometimes persisting in fruit
and beakedbeak:
a usually firm, terminal appendage, sometimes tapered
, few to many seeded. Pericarppericarp:
fruit wall or fruit coat
black, purple, green, red, or white, fleshyfleshy:
texture—fairly firm and dense, juicy or at least moist, and easily cut
or membranousmembranous:
texture—extremely thin, pliable, and fairly tough
, smooth, ribbedribbed:
surface relief—wide, prominent, linear ridges that are generally rounded and longitudinally situated on the surface
, ridgedridged:
surface relief—raised, thick ridges, sharp edged or rounded, usually in a series that may cover the entire surface
, groovedgrooved:
surface relief—linear depressions that may be single or form a series of grooves over the surface
, or wartywarty:
surface relief—distinct, rounded projections that are large relative to the fruit size; tuberculate, verrucose
, sometimes pubescentpubescent:
surface relief—bearing hairs
.

Seed angularangular:
2D shape—having sides that meet at acute or obtuse angles
to oblongoblong:
2D shape—much longer than broad with nearly parallel sides, corners are rounded
, tereteterete:
approximately circular in cross section; width and thickness approximately equal
or flattened in transectiontransection:
a cross section; representing a plane made by cutting across an organ at a right angle to its length
, 1.8–15 mm long, usually winged or with terminal appendages. Seeds winged at one end (Chionographis), with wing surrounding seed (Chamaelirum, Melanthium, Veratrum), or with long caudatecaudate:
tapering to a long, tail-like appendage
appendages present at both ends (Helonias, Heloniopsis, Ypsilandra). In Trillium, seeds with yellow or white elaiosomeselaiosome:
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)
or strophiolesstrophiole:
appendage or outgrowth of seed coat near the hilum and micropyle
that enclose most or all of the seed. Seed coat black, brown, purple, green, or with a red, fleshyfleshy:
texture—fairly firm and dense, juicy or at least moist, and easily cut
sarcotesta in Daiswa, shinyshiny:
uniformly reflecting a high proportion of incident light at all angles
, smooth or reticulatereticulate:
surface relief—netted, raised walls or concave grooves forming a net-like surface pattern with flat, concave, or convex interspaces
.

Embryo usually minute, globoseglobose:
3D shape—more or less spherical
to ovoidovoid:
3D shape—ovate
, basalbasal:
at or pertaining to the point of attachment; (of embryo) embryo occupies one end of the seed
or large in some species of Melanthium and Ziagadenus, linear linear:
(shape) long, narrow, and uniform in width; (of embryo) embryo is straight and much longer than wide
and axialaxial:
(of embryo) embryo is situated along the longitudinal axis of the seed and may partially or completely fill the seed
. Endospermendosperm:
nutritive starch- and oil-containing tissue present in many seeds
copious.

Identification features

Fruit
Type	capsule, 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. , follicle
Size range	5–50 mm long
Shape(s)	ovoid, oblongoblong: 2D shape—much longer than broad with nearly parallel sides, corners are rounded , ellipsoidellipsoid: 3D shape—elliptic , globose
Texture	fleshy fleshy: texture—fairly firm and dense, juicy or at least moist, and easily cut or membranous
Surface relief	smooth or ribbedribbed: surface relief—wide, prominent, linear ridges that are generally rounded and longitudinally situated on the surface , ridgedridged: surface relief—raised, thick ridges, sharp edged or rounded, usually in a series that may cover the entire surface , groovedgrooved: surface relief—linear depressions that may be single or form a series of grooves over the surface or warty
Color(s)	black, purple, green, red, white
Unique features	Membranous membranous: texture—extremely thin, pliable, and fairly tough capsulescapsule: a dry, dehiscent fruit formed by two or more carpels often with winged or terminally appendaged seeds. Or, fleshyfleshy: texture—fairly firm and dense, juicy or at least moist, and easily cut berriesberry: 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. with smooth or reticulatereticulate: surface relief—netted, raised walls or concave grooves forming a net-like surface pattern with flat, concave, or convex interspaces seeds, sometimes with bright red, fleshyfleshy: texture—fairly firm and dense, juicy or at least moist, and easily cut seed coats or elaisomes.
Seed
Size range	1.8–15 mm long
Shape(s)	oblong, lanceoloidlanceoloid: 3D shape—lanceolate , fusiformfusiform: spindle-shaped; broadest at the middle and tapering at both ends , ellipsoidellipsoid: 3D shape—elliptic , conicalconical: 3D shape—cone-shaped, with the point of attachment at the broad end , polygonal
Surface relief	smooth, reticulate
Color(s)	black, brown, purple, green
Unique features	Winged or terminally appendaged seeds, usually with small, basalbasal: at or pertaining to the point of attachment; (of embryo) embryo occupies one end of the seed embryos. Red, fleshyfleshy: texture—fairly firm and dense, juicy or at least moist, and easily cut coated seeds in Daiswa. Or, seeds with yellow or white elaisomes that enclose most of the seed in Trillium.
Other
Embryo	usually minute, globoseglobose: 3D shape—more or less spherical to ovoidovoid: 3D shape—ovate , basalbasal: at or pertaining to the point of attachment; (of embryo) embryo occupies one end of the seed or large in some species of Melanthium and Ziagadenus, linear linear: (shape) long, narrow, and uniform in width; (of embryo) embryo is straight and much longer than wide and axial
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

Distribution

North temperate regions, with one genus extending from southern North America to Peru.

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 North America Editorial Committee 1993+Flora of North America Editorial Committee 1993+:
Flora of North America Editorial Committee, eds. 1993+. Flora of North America North of Mexico [Online]. 22+ vols. Flora of North America Association, New York and Oxford. Accessed January-March 2024. URL: http://beta.floranorthamerica.org.; 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 2020-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.; Stevenson and Loconte 1995Stevenson and Loconte 1995:
Stevenson DW and Loconte H. 1995. A cladistic analysis of monocot families. In: Rudall PJ, Cribb PJ, Cutler DF, and Humphries CJ, eds. Monocotyledons: Systematics and Evolution. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.; Takhtajan 2009Takhtajan 2009:
Takhtajan A. 2009. Flowering plants: Second edition. Springer Nature, Switzerland. 871 pp.; Tutin et al. 1964–1980Tutin et al. 1964–1980:
Tutin TG, Burges NA, Chater AO, Edmondson JR, Heywood VH, Moore DM, Valentine DH, Walters SM, and Webb DA (eds.) 1964–1980. Flora Europaea. 5 vols. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge UK. 2,524 pp.; Zhengyi et al. 2004+Zhengyi et al. 2004+:
Zhengyi W, Raven PH, and Deyuan H. 2004+. Flora of China [online]. 25 vols. Science Press, Beijing China & Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis USA. Accessed January–March 2024. http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/

*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.