Family Euphroniaceae

Euphroniaceae Marcano-Berti

Habit and leaf form. Leaves alternate; non-sheathing; simple. Lamina entire. Leaves stipulate (small), or exstipulate. Stipules if present, caducous.

Reproductive type, pollination. Plants hermaphrodite.

Inflorescence, floral, fruit and seed morphology. Flowers aggregated in ‘inflorescences’; somewhat irregular to very irregular; zygomorphic. The floral irregularity involving the perianth and involving the androecium. Flowers neither papilionaceous nor pseudo-papilionaceous; cyclic; tetracyclic.

Perianth with distinct calyx and corolla; 8; 2 whorled; anisomerous. Calyx 5; 1 whorled; unequal but not bilabiate; spurred; imbricate. Corolla 3; 1 whorled; polypetalous; contorted; somewhat unequal but not bilabiate; green; spurred to not spurred (the largest petal gibbous at its base).

Androecium 3–5, or 6. Androecial members free of the perianth; coherent; 2 adelphous (the filaments of the fertile stamens basally connate, separate from the single staminodal member). The androecial bundles alternating with the corolla members (?). Androecium including staminodes. Staminodes 1 (this across the flower from the spurred sepal). Stamens 3–5; isomerous with the perianth to diplostemonous. Anthers dehiscing via longitudinal slits; introrse.

Gynoecium 3 carpelled. Carpels isomerous with the perianth. The pistil 3 celled. Gynoecium syncarpous; eu-syncarpous; superior. Ovary 3 locular. Gynoecium stylate. Styles 1; apical, or lateral (?). Stigmas truncate. Placentation axile. Ovules 2 per locule.

Fruit non-fleshy; dehiscent; a capsule. Capsules septicidal (3-valved). Seeds non-endospermic; conspicuously hairy. Cotyledons 2. Embryo straight.

Geography, cytology. Neotropical. Tropical. Northern tropical South America.

Taxonomy. Subclass Dicotyledonae; Crassinucelli. Dahlgren’s Superorder Rutiflorae; Polygalales. Cronquist’s Subclass Rosidae; Polygalales. APG 3 core angiosperms; core eudicot; Superorder Rosanae; fabid; Order Malpighiales.

Species 3. Genera 1; Euphronia.

This inadequate description lacks information on “esoteric characters”, including anther development and embryology.