Bixaceae Kunth

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

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.

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

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

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