Aextoxicaceae

Aextoxicaceae A. Engler & E. Gilg

Common name: Aetoxicon Family.

Number of genera: 1 genus.

Number of species (Mabberley 1997): 1 species (Aetoxicon punctatum Ruiz & Pavon).

Disseminule type: Incomplete fruit with epicarp and mesocarp absent and endocarp exposed.

Division: Angiosperm.

Class: Magnoliopsida.

Fruits: Pistil(s) 1; 1-pistillate. Fruit pericarpium; simple; nuculanium (Cronquist: dry drupe); without persistent central column; not within accessory organ(s); 1-seeded; with 2-carpellate; with carpels united; with carpels remaining united at maturity; with carpels remaining connected at style; without sterile carpels; not sulcate; indehiscent. Epicarp durable; without armature; without wing(s); without apical respiratory hole. Mesocarp present. Endocarp present; not separating from exocarp; thin, or hard; not splitting into 1-seeded pyrenes; stone unilocular; stone 1-loculate; without operculum; without secretory cavities; without longitudinal ridges. Funiculus short; short without seed bearing hooks (retinacula); not persisting in fruit after seed shed.

Seeds: Aril absent. Seed larger than minute; not bowl shaped; not nutlike; without winglike beak; without caudate appendage(s); at maturity with food reserves; with endosperm; without canavanine. Sarcotesta absent. Testa present; without fleshy or leathery layer over hard layer; surface unsmooth; surface with merged raised features; surface reticulate; without crease or line separating cotyledons from hypocotyl-radicle; without notch along margin where cotyledons from hypocotyl-radicle tip approach each other; without glands; without bristles; without wings; without collar; without operculum; colored; monochrome; not becoming mucilaginous when wetted; surrounding food reserve. Endosperm copious; fleshy-firm; ruminate; without fatty acid containing cyclopropene; without apical lobes; without chlorophyll; without isodiametric faceted surface; without odor. Embryo differentiated from food reserve; well developed; 1 per seed; partially filling testa (with food reserve); 0.5 times the length of food reserve; at one end of seed not extending into a depression or cup; axile and centric; foliate; bent; without coleorhiza; without simmondsin; without stomata; not green; with 2 or more cotyledons. Cotyledons 2; well developed; 0.6 times length of embryo; somewhat to significantly wider than hypocotyl-radicle; 4 times wider than hypocotyl-radicle; flat; smooth; basally cordate; equal in size; not punctate dotted. Hypocotyl-radicle well developed; curved (somewhat); not thickened.

General distribution: New World.

Detailed distribution: South America (Chile).

Noxious weeds: No USA noxious weeds listed for this family.

Accepted Genera: Aextoxicon Ruiz & Pav.

General references: Corner, E.J.H. 1976. The seeds of Dicots, esp. vol. 2. Cambridge University Press, New York, Cronquist, A. 1981. An integrated system of classification of flowering plants, 1,262 p. Columbia University Press, New York, Goldberg, A. 1986 (dicots) & 1989 (monocots). Classification, evolution, and phylogeny of the familes of Dicotyledons. Smithsonian Contr. Bot. 58 for dicots (314 pp.) & 71 for monocots (74 pp.). [Goldberg's illustrations are reproduced from older publications and these should be consulted], Gunn, C.R., J.H. Wiersema, C.A. Ritchie, & J.H. Kirkbride, Jr. 1992 & amendments. Families and genera of Spermatophytes recognized by the Agricultural Research Service. Techn. Bull. U.S.D.A. 1796:1–500, Mabberley, D.J. 1987. The plant-book, 706 p. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, and Spjut, R.W. 1994. A systematic treatment of fruit types. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 70:1–182.

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Suggested citation: Kirkbride, J.H., Jr., C.R. Gunn, and M.J. Dallwitz. 2006. Family Guide for Fruits and Seeds, vers. 1.0. URL: http://nt.ars-grin.gov/sbmlweb/OnlineResources/frsdfam/Index.cfm. Accessed March 16, 2009.

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