Spermatophyta: Dicotyledonae: Archichlamydeae: Zygophyllales

Balanitaceae - Torchwood family

Launert, E. (1963) Balanitaceae Flora Zambesiaca 2(1)

Sands, M.J.S. (1989) Balanitaceae Flora of Ethiopia, vol. 3 Addis Ababa University and Uppsala University

Sands, M.J.S. (2001) The Desert Date and its relatives: a revision of the genus Balanites Kew Bulletin 56(1) 1-128

Description of the family

Trees or shrubs, with simple or forked spines. Stipules 0. Leaves alternate, 2-foliolate. Leaflets coriaceous, entire. Flowers bisexual, actinomorphic. Sepals 5, free. Petals 5, free. Stamens 10. Disk succulent, longitudinally 10-grooved. Ovary superior, 5-locular. Fruit a 1-seeded drupe.

Worldwide: 1 genus and 25 species, tropical Africa to Burma.

Malawi: 1 genus and 2 taxa.

No image yet

Links to genera: View: living plant images - herbarium specimen images - all images for this family

Genus	Content
Balanites Delile	Description

Other sources of information about Balanitaceae:

Our websites:

Flora of Botswana: Balanitaceae
Flora of Caprivi: Balanitaceae
Flora of Mozambique: Balanitaceae
Flora of Zambia: Balanitaceae
Flora of Zimbabwe: Balanitaceae

External websites:

African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg): Balanitaceae
Google: Web - Images - Scholar
GRIN (Germplasm Resources Information Network) taxonomy for plants report for Balanitaceae
Wikipedia: Balanitaceae