Family Baueraceae

Baueraceae Lindl.

~ Cunoniaceae

Including Codiaceae Van Tiegh.

Habit and leaf form. Shrubs. Helophytic, or mesophytic. Leaves opposite; sessile; compound; ternate. Lamina palmately veined (the leaflets pinnately veined). Leaves exstipulate. Lamina margins serrate.

Leaf anatomy. Hairs present, or absent; eglandular, or glandular.

Minor leaf veins without phloem transfer cells.

Stem anatomy. Nodes unilacunar. Xylem with vessels.

Reproductive type, pollination. Plants hermaphrodite.

Inflorescence, floral, fruit and seed morphology. Flowers solitary; axillary.

Perianth with distinct calyx and corolla; (8–)12–16(–20); 2 whorled; isomerous. Calyx (4–)6–8(–10); 1 whorled; polysepalous; persistent; imbricate (slightly), or valvate. Corolla (4–)6–8(–10); 1 whorled; polypetalous; imbricate; magenta pink.

Androecium 4–10, or 15–100 (to ‘many’). Androecial members free of the perianth; free of one another; 1 whorled, or 2 whorled. Androecium exclusively of fertile stamens. Stamens 15–30; isomerous with the perianth to polystemonous. Anthers non-versatile; dehiscing via short slits (these apical, the openings sometimes confluent over the anther tip); introrse. Pollen grains aperturate; 2-celled.

Gynoecium 2 carpelled. The pistil 2 celled. Gynoecium syncarpous; synovarious; superior to partly inferior. Ovary 2 locular. Styles 2; free. Stigmas 2; dry type; papillate; Group II type. Placentation axile, or apical. Ovules 2–15 per locule (to ‘numerous’); pendulous, or horizontal, or ascending; anatropous; bitegmic; crassinucellate. Outer integument contributing to the micropyle. Embryo-sac development Polygonum-type. Polar nuclei fusing prior to fertilization. Antipodal cells formed; 3; not proliferating; ephemeral. Synergids pear-shaped. Endosperm formation nuclear.

Fruit non-fleshy; dehiscent; a capsule. Capsules loculicidal. Seeds endospermic. Endosperm oily. Embryo straight.

Seedling. Germination phanerocotylar.

Physiology, biochemistry. Not cyanogenic. Proanthocyanidins present; delphinidin. Flavonols present; quercetin and myricetin. Ellagic acid absent. Aluminium accumulation not found.

Geography, cytology. Temperate to sub-tropical. Australia.

Taxonomy. Subclass Dicotyledonae; Crassinucelli. Dahlgren’s Superorder Rosiflorae; Cunoniales. Cronquist’s Subclass Rosidae; Rosales. APG (1998) Eudicot; core Eudicot; Rosid; Eurosid I. APG 3 (2009) Order: Oxalidales.

Species 3. Genera 1; only genus, Bauera.

Illustrations.
• Bauera (Chittenden).

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