Spermatophyta: Dicotyledonae: Archichlamydeae: Celastrales

Celastraceae - Spike thorn family

Brexiaceae

Robson, N.K.B. (1966) Celastraceae Flora Zambesiaca 2(2)

Robson, N.K.B., Hallé, N., Mathew, B. & Blakelock, R. (1994) Celastraceae Flora of Tropical East Africa

Description of the family

Trees, shrubs or woody climbers, sometimes spiny. Stipules present or 0. Leaves simple, alternate, subopposite or opposite, sometimes fasciculate on short shoots, typically glabrous and coriaceous. Flowers bisexual, polygamous or unisexual, actinomorphic, in axillary and/or terminal cymes, panicles or thyrses, sometimes with accessory branches, sometimes fasciculate or solitary. Sepals and petals (3-)4-5(-6). Disk usually present. Ovary 2-5-locular, or 1-locular by abortion. Fruit a loculicidal capsule or composed of mericarps or baccate or drupaceous or dry and indehiscent. Seeds may be arillate or winged.

Worldwide: 88 genera and 1300 species, mainly tropical with some termperate.

Malawi: 9 genera and 24 taxa.

Gymnosporia senegalensis

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

GenusContent
Catha Forssk. ex Scop.Description, Image
Elaeodendron Jacq.Description, Image
Gymnosporia (Wight & Arn.) Hook. f.Description, Image
Hippocratea L.Description, Image
Maytenus MolinaDescription, Image
Mystroxylon Eckl. & Zeyh.Description, Image
Pleurostylia Wight & Arn.Description, Image
Pterocelastrus Meisn.Description, Image
Salacia L.Description

Other sources of information about Celastraceae:

Our websites:

Flora of Botswana: Celastraceae
Flora of Burundi: Celastraceae
Flora of Caprivi: Celastraceae
Flora of the DRC: Celastraceae
Flora of Mozambique: Celastraceae
Flora of Rwanda: Celastraceae
Flora of Zambia: Celastraceae
Flora of Zimbabwe: Celastraceae
Flora of Zimbabwe: cultivated Celastraceae

External websites:

African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg): Celastraceae
BHL (Biodiversity Heritage Library): Celastraceae
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Celastraceae
GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility): Celastraceae
Google: Web - Images - Scholar
iNaturalist: Celastraceae
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Celastraceae
JSTOR Plant Science: Celastraceae
Mansfeld World Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops: Celastraceae
Wikipedia: Celastraceae
Plants of the World Online: Celastraceae
Tropicos: Celastraceae



Copyright: Mark Hyde, Bart Wursten, Petra Ballings and Meg Coates Palgrave, 2014-24

Hyde, M.A., Wursten, B.T., Ballings, P. & Coates Palgrave, M. (2024). Flora of Malawi: Family page: Celastraceae.
https://www.malawiflora.com/speciesdata/family.php?family_id=53, retrieved 3 December 2024

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