Family Dulongiaceae

Dulongiaceae J.G. Agardh

Alternatively Phyllonomaceae Rusby, Phyllonomataceae J.K Small~ Grossulariaceae

Habit and leaf form. Trees, or shrubs. Plants non-succulent. Leaves alternate; simple; not peltate. Lamina entire; acuminate. Leaves stipulate. Stipules caducous (small, fringed). Lamina margins entire, or serrate.

Stem anatomy. Secondary thickening developing from a conventional cambial ring.

Reproductive type, pollination. Plants hermaphrodite.

Inflorescence, floral, fruit and seed morphology. Flowers aggregated in ‘inflorescences’; in fascicles. The ultimate inflorescence unit cymose. Inflorescences epiphyllous; cymose false umbels. Flowers small (green); regular; (4–)5 merous; cyclic.

Perianth with distinct calyx and corolla; 8, or 10; 2 whorled; isomerous. Calyx (4–)5; 1 whorled; polysepalous; regular; open in bud. Corolla (4–)5; 1 whorled; polypetalous; valvate; regular; green.

Androecium (4–)5. Androecial members free of the perianth; all equal; free of one another; 1 whorled. Androecium exclusively of fertile stamens. Stamens (4–)5; isomerous with the perianth; alternating with the corolla members; shortly filantherous. Anthers small, bilobed. Pollen grains aperturate; 2–3 aperturate; colpate, or colporate (colporoidate).

Gynoecium 2 carpelled. Carpels reduced in number relative to the perianth. The pistil 1 celled. Gynoecium syncarpous; synovarious; inferior. Ovary 1 locular. Epigynous disk present (intrastaminal, large, pulvinate). Gynoecium stylate. Styles 2; free; apical; shorter than the ovary (very short, divaricate). Stigmas 2. Placentation parietal. Ovules in the single cavity 50–100 (‘many’); biseriate.

Fruit fleshy; indehiscent; a berry (incompletely bilocular); 3–6 seeded. Seeds endospermic. Testa rugose.

Physiology, biochemistry. Polyacetylenes not found. Aluminium accumulation demonstrated.

Geography, cytology. Neotropical. Tropical. Mexico to Peru.

Taxonomy. Subclass Dicotyledonae; Tenuinucelli. Dahlgren’s Superorder Corniflorae; Cornales (?). Cronquist’s Subclass Rosidae; Rosales. APG 3 core angiosperms; core eudicot; Superorder Asteranae; campanulid; Order Aquifoliales.

Species 8. Genera 1; only genus, Phyllonoma (Dulongia Kunth).

Description very inadequate.