Apodanthaceae Takhtajan

Family Description

Distribution Map


List of Genera

Photographs

Apodanthes

1. Apodanthes caseariae
   
   • Photo Parasitic on Casearia sp., San Isidro, Costa Rica. The only visible part of the parasite are the flowers that emerge directly from the bark of the host tree. Photo by Dan Nickrent (Nickrent 3007).
   • Photo showing flower buds (right), two open flowers (top) and some young fruits (bottom). Notice that the perianth is white whereas the bracts below are yellow. In Pilostyles, there is little differentiation between the perianth and the bracts. The cup-like depressions in the host bark are visible where flowers have fallen off. Photo by Dan Nickrent.
   • Photo. Flowers emerging from host bark. Panama. Photo by A. Gentry (no. 1445). Link goes to TROPICOS.
   • Photo. Flowers emerging from host Casearia. Panama. Photo by A. Gentry (no. 28659). Link goes to TROPICOS.
   • Photo.  Flowers emerging from host. Parasitic on Casearia stjohnii. Barrow Colorado Island, Panama. Photo by T. B. Croat (voucher 17044). Link goes to TROPICOS.
     

Berlinianche

1. Berlinianche aethiopica
   
   • Photo of flowers emerging from host stem. Gabon. Prv. Ogooue-Ivindo, Lope Natl. Park, Ogooue River. Photo 21 Apr 2006 by C. Davidson. (coll. M. Leal 1197). From FloraoftheWorld.org.
   • Male flowers emerging from the stem of Brachystegia spiciformis (Fabaceae, Caesalpiniodeae, locally called Msasa). Christmas Pass, Mutare, Zimbabwe. Photos #01, #02, #05 and #08 by Darrel Plowes.
   • Close-up of female flower showing central column. Christmas Pass, Mutare, Zimbabwe. Photos #03 and #04 by Darrel Plowes.
   • Female flowers, with a small midge. Christmas Pass, Mutare, Zimbabwe. Photo #06 by Darrel Plowes.
   • Female flowers, with small hairy Dipterid. Christmas Pass, Mutare, Zimbabwe. Photo #07 by Darrel Plowes.
   • Julbernardia globiflora (Fabaceae, Caesalpinioideae, locally called miombo) infected with Berlinianche aethiopica. Christon Bank, Zimbabwe. Photos #09, #10, #11 and #12 by Albert Blarer.

Pilostyles

1. Pilostyles hamiltonii
   
   • Photo 1 and photo 2 of unopened buds, parasitic on Daviesia decurrens and D. priessii. Perth metro area, Western Australia.  Photo by Stephen Wylie and Jen McComb, March 2006.
2. Pilostyles mexicana
   
   • Flower buds just beginning to emerge
3. Pilostyles thurberi
   
   • Photo of flowers emerging from host, Dalea formosa, and longitudinal section through host stem and parasite flowers (males). The plant consists of just the small flower (ca. 4 mm high) and the endophytic haustorium that grows in the cambial region of the host. These flowers are male and the yellow disk that terminates the column is visible in the center of each flower. Specimen Nickrent 2293 from Knox Co., TX.  Photo by Ken Robertson.
   • Flower buds and buds just beginning to open. Southern CA growing on Psorothamnus emoryi. Photos by Joel McNeal.
   • Photos.  Series of photos of plants from Texas.  Photos by D. L. Nickrent.  Link goes to PhytoImages.

Phylogeny

The "small-flowered clade"of the former Rafflesiaceae is composed of Apodanthes, Berlinianche, and Pilostyles. Mitochondrial matR and nuclear SSU rDNA data indicated either a relationship with Malvales or Cucurbitales (see Nickrent et al. 2004). Additional molecular work in the Nickrent lab confirmed a placement in Cucurbitales. This result was also found by Filipowicz and Renner (2010). But be aware that the relationship within the order was not supported in a later study of Cucurbitales by Schaefer and Renner (2011). Here Apodanthaceae was sister to all the remaining families in the order.

References