Rhamnaceae – Buffalo-thorn family
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Published : January 25, 2017
| Last modified on July 4th, 2017 at 2:20 pm
The Buffalo-thorn family,Rhamnaceae, consists of 49 genera and 900 species.
Description of the family:
Trees, shrubs, suffrutices or lianes; branches sometimes with coiled tendrils (Gouania and Helinus). Stipules present, sometimes spiny. Leaves alternate (sometimes opposite or subopposite) or fasciculate, simple. Flowers bisexual or rarely unisexual, actinomorphic. Sepals (4-)5. Petals (4-)5 or 0. Disk usually present and well-developed. Ovary superior, subinferior or inferior, 2-4-locular. Fruit a drupe, capsule or schizocarp.
Worldwide:
49 genera and 900 species, cosmopolitan, but especially in tropical and warm areas.
Zimbabwe:
8 genera and 18 taxa.
- Berchemia Neck. ex DC.
- Gouania Jacq.
- Helinus E. Mey. ex Endl.
- Lasiodiscus Hook. f.
- Phylica L.
- Rhamnus L.
- Scutia (DC.) Brongn.
- Ziziphus Mill.
