Bixaceae Kunth

First published in Malvac., Buttner., Tiliac. 17. 1822 [20 Apr 1822] (1822)nom. cons.
This family is accepted

Descriptions

Bixaceae, Hutchinson and Dalziel. Flora of West Tropical Africa 1:1. 1954

Morphology General Habit
Shrubs or small trees with coloured juice
Morphology Leaves
Leaves alternate, simple, palminerved, stipulate
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers hermaphrodite, medium-sized, showy, paniculate
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Sepals 5, imbricate, deciduous, with a large fleshy gland at the base outside
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Petals 5, large, imbricate, without a scale at the base
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Nectaries
Disk none
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium
Stamens numerous, hypogynous; filaments free; anthers horse-shoe-shaped, opening by short slits at the top
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium
Ovary superior, 1-celled, with 2 parietal placentas; ovules numerous; style slender, recurved in bud; stigma 2-lobed
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Fruit a densely echinate-setose or smooth capsule, 2-valved; valves thick, with the placentas in the middle
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
Seeds obovoid; testa rather fleshy, red; endosperm copious; embryo large; cotyledons broad, incurved at the apex
[FWTA]

Bixaceae, D. M. Bridson. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1975

Morphology General Habit
Trees or shrubs
Morphology Leaves
Leaves spiral; blades simple, entire, pendulous to perpendicularly hinged from the long erect petioles; petioles with a swelling (pulvinus) at the apex and base; stipules paired, very quickly caducous, leaving a horseshoe-shaped, scale-like scar with a sessile gland on either side of the petiole-base
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers hermaphrodite, regular, in terminal corymbs or panicles
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Receptacle
Receptacle with sessile glands around the rim
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Sepals (4–)5, free, imbricate in bud, caducous on expansion of the flower
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Petals (4–)5(–7), free, imbricate in bud
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium
Stamens numerous, inserted on the annular disc; filaments free; anthers with 2 horseshoe-shaped thecae, dehiscing by short slits on the apical bend
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium
Ovary superior, 1-locular; ovules numerous on 2(–3) parietal placentas; style simple, elongated; stigma shortly 2-lobed
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Fruit an echinate, setose or smooth capsule, loculicidally bivalved (rarely 3-valved)
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
Seeds numerous; testa fleshy; endosperm copious; embryo large
[FTEA]

Timothy M. A. Utteridge and Laura V. S. Jennings (2022). Trees of New Guinea. Kew Publishing. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

Distribution
Bixaceae is a pantropical family with three genera and 20–25 species, most diverse in the Neotropics. In New Guinea, the family comprises two genera each with a single species.
Recognition
Bixaceae are trees and shrubs with simple, alternate leaves which may be lobed, and showy 5-merous flowers with free floral parts and numerous stamens.
Morphology General Habit
Trees, shrubs or woody herbs
Morphology General
Latex present, yellow or reddish latex
Morphology General Indumentum
Indumentum when present of simple hairs or peltate scales
Morphology Leaves
Leaves spiral or alternate, petiolate, simple, entire to palmatisect, apex often acuminate
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescences usually terminal, thyrsoid, rarely racemes or panicles
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers bisexual, actinomorphic or zygomorphic, 5-merous, showy; calyx lobes free; petals free, yellow, white or pink; stamens free or in fascicles, anthers dithecal, dehiscing by slits or pores; ovary superior, syncarpous, carpels 2–5, 1-locular, placentation axial or parietal, ovules numerous, style simple
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Fruit a 2–5-valved capsule, dehiscing loculicidally
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
Seeds numerous, covered with fine hairs or red sarcotesta.
[TONG]

Bixaceae, H. Wild. Flora Zambesiaca 1:1. 1960

Morphology General Habit
Shrubs or small trees with coloured juice
Morphology Leaves
Leaves alternate, petiolate, simple, palmatinerved, stipulate
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers in terminal corymbs or panicles, bisexual, actinomorphic; pedicels with 5–6 apical glands
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Sepals 4–5, free, imbricate in bud, falling off when the flower expands
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Petals 4–7, free, imbricate in bud
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium
Stamens ?, inserted on an annular disk; anthers opening by pore-like slits
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium
Ovary superior, usually bristly, 1-locular, multiovulate with 2 parietal placentas; style 1, stigma 2-lobed
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Fruit a densely echinate-setose or smooth capsule, 2-valved; valves thick with the placentas in the middle
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
Seeds numerous; testa fleshy, densely studded with red glands; endosperm copious; embryo large
[FZ]

Cochlospermaceae, B. Verdcourt. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1975

Morphology General Habit
Trees, shrubs or rhizomatous herbs or subshrubs, often deciduous, with coloured juice and sometimes containing gum
Morphology Leaves
Leaves alternate, palmati-lobed, the lobes toothed or ± entire, often with domatia in the axils of the main nerves; stipules present, caducous
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers ± regular (very slightly zygomorphic), showy, hermaphrodite, paniculate or racemose, mostly golden-yellow
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Sepals 4–5, free, imbricate, deciduous
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Petals 4–5, free, alternating with the sepals, imbricate or contorted
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium
Stamens numerous, the filaments free, equal or some longer than others; anthers 2-thecous, basifixed, linear, opening by introrse short often confluent pore-like slits
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium
Ovary 3-, 4- or 5-carpellate, 1-locular with plate-like structures intruding into the locule, which is ramified with 3, 4 or 5 lobes corresponding to the number of carpels so that apical and basal sections appear axile and central sections appear parietal; ovules numerous, anatropous; style simple, with small stigma
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Capsule (2–)3–5-valved, the valves of the membranous endocarp separating from and alternating with those of the epicarp
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
Seeds glabrous or covered with woolly hairs, straight or mostly cochleate-reniform, with copious oil-rich endosperm; embryo large, conforming to the shape of the seed, with broad cotyledons
Distribution
A family of 2 genera and about 25 (but sometimes estimated as high as 40) species in the tropics and southern United States. Following Hutchinson (G.F.P. 2: 233 (1967)) the genus Sphaerosepalum Bak. has been excluded from the family
[FTEA]

Cochlospermaceae, Hutchinson and Dalziel. Flora of West Tropical Africa 1:1. 1954

Morphology General Habit
Trees, shrubs, or rhizomatous subshrubs, with coloured juice
Morphology Leaves
Leaves alternate, palmatilobed, stipulate
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers hermaphrodite, showy, paniculate or racemose
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Sepals 5, imbricate, deciduous
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Petals 5, imbricate or subcontorted, alternate with the sepals
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium
Stamens numerous, the filaments free, equal or some longer than the others; anthers 2-celled, linear, opening by terminal short often confluent pore-like slits
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium
Ovary 1-celled, with parietal placentas projecting into the cell, or perfectly 3-celled; ovules numerous; style simple, with minutely denticulate stigma
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Fruit a 3–5-valved capsule
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
Seeds glabrous or covered with woolly hairs, straight or cochleate-reniform; endosperm copious; embryo conforming to the shape of the seed, large; cotyledons broad
[FWTA]

Sources

  • Flora Zambesiaca

    • Flora Zambesiaca
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0
  • Flora of Tropical East Africa

    • Flora of Tropical East Africa
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0
  • Flora of West Tropical Africa

    • Flora of West Tropical Africa
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0
  • Herbarium Catalogue Specimens

    • 'The Herbarium Catalogue, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published on the Internet http://www.kew.org/herbcat [accessed on Day Month Year]'. Please enter the date on which you consulted the system.
  • Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2024. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0
  • Trees of New Guinea

    • Trees of New Guinea
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0