Achatocarpaceae

Achatocarpaceae
	Phaulothamnus spinescens , berries
Systematics
Subdivision :	Seed plants (Spermatophytina)
Class :	Bedecktsamer (Magnoliopsida)
	Eudicotyledons
	Nuclear eudicotyledons
Order :	Clove-like (Caryophyllales)
Family :	Achatocarpaceae
Scientific name
	Achatocarpaceae
	Heimerl

The Achatocarpaceae are a family of plants from the order of the carnation-like (Caryophyllales). The only two genera with seven to twelve species are only common in the Neotropic .

description

Illustration of Achatocarpus from E. Le Maout & J.Decaisne, 1873

Vegetative characteristics

They are deciduous, rarely small trees or mostly shrubs that are sometimes climbing. They are often thorny .

The simple leaves are opposite or spirally arranged on the branches. The leaf margins are smooth. The leaves are often succulent and turn black as they dry. Stipules are missing.

Generative characteristics

They are dioecious ( diocesan ) or monoecious ( monoecious ) separate sexes. There is a great variety in the structure of the lateral inflorescences , which often contain only a few flowers. The bracts are greenish.

The unisexual, relatively small flowers are radial symmetry and four or mostly five-fold. There are only four or five green, sepal-like , free bracts . The male flowers contain ten to twenty fertile stamens . Two carpels have become a top permanent, single-chamber ovary grown. The two styluses are horn-shaped. There is only one ovule with basal placentation.

The fleshy berries are translucent or white when ripe, have remnants of the bracts and each contain only one seed. The shiny, black seeds have a small aril .

ecology

It is believed that the pollination is done by birds, but no scientific research has been done yet.

Systematics and distribution

In the past, these species were integrated into the families of the Phytolaccaceae , Caryophyllaceae or Amaranthaceae . Molecular biological studies have suggested that these species result in a monophyletic taxon , which is why they are placed in a separate family Achatocarpaceae.

The areas are only in the Neotropic . The total distribution area extends from the southwest USA to the middle of Chile and Argentina.

The family of Achatocarpaceae contains only two genera with seven to twelve species:

Achatocarpus Triana : The (two to) about ten species are mainly found in central and northwestern South America in arid areas:
- Achatocarpus balansae Schinz & Autran : It occurs in Paraguay and Argentina.
- Achatocarpus brevipedicellatus H. Walter : It occurs in Paraguay.
- Achatocarpus gracilis H.Walter : It occurs in western Mexico.
- Achatocarpus hasslerianus Heimerl : Paraguay
- Achatocarpus microcarpus Schinz & Autran : Bolivia and Paraguay
- Achatocarpus nigricans Triana (Syn .: Achatocarpus mexicanus H.Walter ): It occurs from Mexico to Bolivia and Venezuela.
- Achatocarpus oaxacanus Standl. : Southern Mexico
- Achatocarpus praecox Griseb. : With the varieties:
  - Achatocarpus praecox var. Praecox (Syn .: Achatocarpus brasiliensis H. Walter ): It occurs in Bolivia, Peru, Paraguay, in southeastern Brazil and in northern Argentina.
  - Achatocarpus praecox var. Bicornutus (Schinz & Autran) Botta : It occurs from southern Brazil and Paraguay to northern Argentina.
- Achatocarpus pubescens C.H.Wright : It occurs from Mexico to Peru.

Phaulothamnus A.Gray : It contains only one species:
- Phaulothamnus spinescens A.Gray : It occurs from southern Texas to northern Mexico.

swell

The family of achatocarpaceae in APWebsite . (Sections systematics and description)
The Achatocarpaceae family at DELTA by L. Watson & MJ Dallwitz. (Section description)
Barney L. Lipscomb: Achatocarpaceae , p. 4 - the same text online as the printed work , In: Flora of North America Editorial Committee (Ed.): Flora of North America North of Mexico , Volume 4 - Magnoliophyta: Caryophyllidae, part 1 , Oxford University Press, New York and Oxford, April 8, 2004. ISBN 0-19-517389-9 (Description and Distribution Sections)
Daniela Zappi: Neotropical Achatocarpaceae , 2009 at Neotropikey - Neotropical Flowering Plants - Interactive key and information resources for flowering plants of the Neotropics.
P. Cuénoud, V. Savolainen, LW Chatrou, M. Powell, RJ Grayer, MW Chase: Molecular phylogenetics of Caryophyllales based on nuclear 18S RDNA and plastid rbcL, atpB, and matK DNA sequences. In: American Journal of Botany , Volume 89, Issue 1, 2002, pp. 132-144.

Individual evidence

^ ^A ^b Achatocarpaceae in the Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN), USDA , ARS , National Genetic Resources Program. National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland.
↑ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h Rafaël Govaerts (ed.): Achatocarpaceae. In: World Checklist of Selected Plant Families (WCSP) - The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew . Retrieved April 14, 2020.

Web links

Commons : Achatocarpaceae - collection of images, videos and audio files

[GRINachatocarpaceae-1] A ^b Achatocarpaceae in the Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN), USDA , ARS , National Genetic Resources Program. National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland.

[WCSP-2] ↑ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h Rafaël Govaerts (ed.): Achatocarpaceae. In: World Checklist of Selected Plant Families (WCSP) - The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew . Retrieved April 14, 2020.