"Olacaceae" s. lat.

Family Description

Distribution Map

List of Genera in "Olacaceae" s. lat.

Photographs

Erythropalaceae Planch ex Miquel (1856)

Subfam. Erythropaloideae Hasskal (1848)

Erythropalum

1. Erythropalum scandens
   • Herbarium specimen, As the name implies, this plant is scandent, climbing on other vegetation by means of axillary tendrils. Specimen from Missouri Botanical Garden herbarium (MO). Photo by D. L. Nickrent.
   • Herbarium specimen, Missouri Botanical Gardens (MO). Fruits. Photo by D. L. Nickrent.
   • Fruit (a dehiscent drupe) has a bright red endocarp that splits from the top downward into 3-6 reflexed segments. Borneo. Photo by Reed Beaman.
   • Erythropalum scandens is called KRLÌING in Kammu villages of northern southeast Asia (Laos, Thailand). For a recipe using this plant and stewed banana flowers posted by Damrong Tayanin and Kristina Lindell, click HERE.

Heisteria

1. Heisteria acuminata
   • Fruiting plant. Note expanded accrescent red calyx persistent on fruit. La Selva, Costa Rica. [DLN 2760]. Photo by D. L. Nickrent.
   • Plant with fruits, Peru. Photo by A. Gentry (No. 42307). Link goes to TROPICOS database at MO.
   • Plant with fruits, Peru. Photo by A. Gentry (No. 45261). Link goes to TROPICOS database at MO.
   • Plant with fruits. Photo by A. Gentry (No. 65663). Link goes to TROPICOS database at MO.
2. Heisteria concinna
   • Leaves and young inflorescences. Panama. From the Center for Tropical Forest Science, Panama web atlas, Trees of the Panama Canal.
   • Seedlings. Seeds were planted and grown in cultivation at Southern Illinois University. Photo by D. L. Nickrent.
3. Heisteria costaricensis
   • Plant with fruits. Photo by A. Gentry (no number). Link goes to TROPICOS database at MO.
4. Heisteria latifolia
   • Plant in fruit showing bright red, accrescent calyx. Ecuador. Photo by Alwyn Gentry, published in "World of Plants" article by Mitsuru Hirota (Weekly Asahihyakka, Jan. 22, 1995).
5. Heisteria longipes
   • Fruiting plant. Monte Verde, Costa Rica. February 1966. Photo by Job Kuijt.
6. Heisteria macrophylla
   • Plant with immature fruit showing calyx while still green. Costa Rica, Punta Arenas: Coto Brus San Vito, Estacion Biologica Las Cruces. Photo by Josh Der June 15, 2004.
   • Mature fruit from the side and top. Costa Rica, Punta Arenas: Coto Brus San Vito, Estacion Biologica Las Cruces., 2004. Photo by Fabian A. Michelangeli.
   • Plant with fruits. Panama, Canal Area. Photo and voucher by T.B. Croat (No. 10316). Link goes to TROPICOS database at MO.
   • Plant with fruits. Panama, Canal Area. Photo and voucher by T.B. Croat (No. 4238). Link goes to TROPICOS database at MO.
7. Heisteria parvifolia
   • Plant in fruit. Gabon, Ogooué-Ivindo. Voucher (33314) and photo by Al Gentry. Link goes to TROPICOS database at MO.
   • Leaves and fruit. Panama. From the Center for Tropical Forest Science, Panama web atlas, Trees of the Panama Canal.
8. Heisteria scandens
   • View 1 and View 2 of the flowers and fruits. Costa Rica, Heredia Prov. Canton Serapiqui, La Selva OTS Station. Photo by Mauricio Bonaficino, July 2, 2004.
   • Flower in section. Costa Rica, Heredia Prov. Canton Serapiqui, La Selva OTS Station. Photo by Mauricio Bonaficino, July 2, 2004.
   • Leaf. Costa Rica, Heredia Prov. Canton Serapiqui, La Selva OTS Station. Photo by Dennis Stevenson 2004.
   • Plant in flower. Voucher by Stevens (24758), photo by Olga Martha Montiel (1998). Link goes to TROPICOS database at MO.
   • A series of digital photos showing various parts of the plant (leaves, flowers, fruits, etc.) Link goes to La Flora Digital de La Selva.
9. Heisteria spruceana
   • Plant with fruits. Photo by A. Gentry (No. 18336). Link goes to TROPICOS database at MO.

Maburea

1. Maburea trinervis
   • Herbarium specimen. Guyana. Link goes to New York Botanical Garden type collection images.

Subfam. Strombosioideae Malécot & Nickrent (2006)

Diogoa

1. Diogoa zenkeri
   • Plant with fruit, Gabon. Photo by A. Gentry (No. 33485). Link goes to TROPICOS database at MO.

Engomegoma

1. Engomegoma gordonii
   • Herbarium specimen, Missouri Botanical Gardens (MO). This monotypic genus was named in 1996 [see Breteler et al. 1996 Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 118: 113-132]. Photo by D. L. Nickrent.

Scorodocarpus

1. Scorodocarpus borneensis
   • Herbarium specimen, Missouri Botanical Gardens (MO). Photo by D. L. Nickrent.
   • Leaves. From a website in Thailand HERE.
   • Branches with flowers. Bogar Botanical Garden, Java, Indonesia. Photograph by Musashino Riyouji, published in "World of Plants" article by Mitsuru Hirota (Weekly Asahihyakka, Jan. 22, 1995).
   • Illustration. Flora Malesiana 10 16 1984. Link goes to Borneo Tree Images. James K. Jarvie, Beth Dart, Diane Holland.

Strombosia

1. Strombosia javanica
   • Habit of the tree. Photo by the National Parks Board, Singapore. Thanks also to the Singapore Herbarium, Singapore Botanic Gardens.
   • Leafy shoots. Same as above.
   • Flowers. Same as above.
   • Herbarium specimen. Indonesia, Java. Link goes to New York Botanical Garden type collection images.
   • Illustration. Atlas der Baumarten von Java I Fig. 124 1913. Link goes to Borneo Tree Images. James K. Jarvie, Beth Dart, Diane Holland.
2. Strombosia philipinensis
   • Herbarium specimen (as S. minor). Philippines (Luzon). Link goes to New York Botanical Garden type collection images.
3. Strombosia pustulata
   • Plate showing various aspects of the species. Palma Game Camp Area, Ghana From the Virtual Field Herbarium website, Oxford. Photos by W. D.Hawthorne.
4. Strombosia nigropunctata
   • Herbarium specimen. Democratic Rebublic of Congo (= Zaire, Belgian Congo). Link goes to New York Botanical Garden type collection images.

Strombosiopsis

1. Strombosiopsis tetrandra
   • Plant with fruits, Gabon. Photo by A. Gentry (No. 33122). Link goes to TROPICOS database at MO.

Tetrastylidium

1. Tetrastylidium grandifolium
   • Herbarium specimen (as T. janeirense). Brazil. Link goes to New York Botanical Garden type collection images.
2. Tetrastylidium peruvianum
   • Herbarium specimen. Peru. Link goes to New York Botanical Garden type collection images.
   • Branch with fruits. Peru. Photo from Conservatoire et Jardin botaniques de la Ville de Genève.

Ximeniaceae Horan (1834)

Curupira

1. Curupira tefeensis
   • Herbarium specimen showing distinctive venation (3-nerved from base) and umbellate inflorescence. Specimen from Missouri Botanical Garden herbarium (MO).Photo by D. L. Nickrent.
   • Stamens dissected from an herbarium specimen showing porose dehiscence (arrow). As above. Photo by D. L. Nickrent.
   • Herbarium specimen. Plant in fruit. Specimen from Harvard Herbarium. Photo by D. L. Nickrent.
   • Herbarium specimen. Close-up of fruits. Specimen from Harvard Herbarium. Photo by D. L. Nickrent.

Douradoa

1. Douradoa consimilis
   • Herbarium specimen, Brazil. Link goes to New York Botanical Garden type collection images.
   • Herbarium specimen, Brazil. Link goes to New York Botanical Garden type collection images.

Malania

1. Malania oleifera
   • Habit of tree. From a Chinese web page
   • Fruiting branches. As above.
   • Flowering plant. Herbarium specimen from China, by Yang Zenghong 81-0155 (6 Apr. 1981) Photo by D. L. Nickrent.
   • Inflorescence. Herbarium specimen from China, by Yang Zenghong 81-0155 (6 Apr. 1981) Photo by D. L. Nickrent..
   • Flowers. Herbarium specimen from China, by Yang Zenghong 81-0155 (6 Apr. 1981) Photo by Valéry Malécot.
   • Fruiting plant. Herbarium specimen from China, by Lin Zhongwen 687 (13 Nov. 1964). The seeds of this species yield an edible oil that is also used as a lubricant for machinery. Photo by D. L. Nickrent.

Ximenia

1. Ximenia americana
   • Haustorial connection to host root. Andros Island, Bahamas. [DLN 2601].Photo by D. L. Nickrent.
   • Habit of plant showing short shoots and thorns. Andros Island, Bahamas. [DLN 2601]. Photo by D. L. Nickrent.
   • Plant showing shoots, thorns, flowers, and fruit. Link goes to Fairchild Tropical Garden Virtual Herbarium.
   • Flowering and fruiting branches. Excellent photo by Tim Motley Link goes to Gerald Carr's website, University of Hawaii.
   • Close-up of flowers. Excellent photo by Tim Motley Link goes to Gerald Carr's website, University of Hawaii.
   • Close-up of flowers. Photo taken in Florida by L. J. Musselman.
   • Seedling. Photo by L. J. Musselman.
   • Seedling still attached to seed showing cataphyll growing into the interpetiolar space. See Musselman and Mann (1977, Beitr. Biol. Pflanzen 53:121-125). Photo by L. J. Musselman.
   • Another view, as above. Photo by L. J. Musselman.
   • Ximenia used as a famine food. Link goes to Ethiopia: Famine Food Field Guide by University of Pennsylvania.
   • Habit of the tree, bark, shoots with flowers and fruit, close-up of fruit. Palma Game Camp Area, Ghana From the Virtual Field Herbarium website, Oxford. Photo by P.Ekpe/NSBP
2. Ximenia americana var. caffra
   • Habit of plant in fruit. Kenya: Kacheliba Escarpment. Photograph by D. Napper [no. 2121]. Slide no. 9570 archived at Kew.
   • Plant in fruit. Kruger National Park, Transvaal, South Africa. Photograph by C. Puff, published in "World of Plants" article by Mitsuru Hirota (Weekly Asahihyakka, Jan. 22, 1995).
   • One view and another of fruiting branches. From PlantZAfrica.com web site by Joseph K. Baloyi and Yvonne Reynolds, Pretoria National Botanical Garden. Photos by Geoff Nichols.
   • Shoots with flower buds. Jilore, Kenya. From Plants of Africa, Mt. Kenya Rainforest. Photo by Richard  Spjut (Spjut and Muchai no. 3823).
   • One view and another of flowering shoots. Jilore, Kenya. From Plants of Africa, Mt. Kenya Rainforest. Photo by Richard  Spjut (Spjut and Muchai no. 3823).
3. Ximenia sp.
   • Plant with red flowers, Jalisco, Mexico. Photo by A. Gentry (No. 73486). Link goes to TROPICOS database at MO.

Coulaceae Tiegh. (1897)

Coula

1. Coula edulis
   • Herbarium specimen, Missouri Botanical Gardens (MO). Photo by D. L. Nickrent.
   • Herbarium specimen Close-up of inflorescence. As above. Photo by D. L. Nickrent.
   • Fruits. From a book on Equatorial Guinea plants: Chris Wilks & Yves Issembe. 2001, Practical Identification Guide - Equatorial Guinea Trees - Continental Region. CUREF Publishers.
   • Nuts, from Alibaba.com web site (a global nut trader).
   • Shells of nuts cracked open and eaten by humans.  Rainforest preserve at Lake Tissongo, Cameroun.  From Humans and their Environments (University of Pennsylvania): A day in the life of an African hunter.  Photo by D. H. Janzen.
     

Minquartia

1. Minquartia guianensis
   • A series of digital photos showing various parts of the plant (leaves, flowers, fruits, etc.) Link goes to La Flora Digital de La Selva.
   • Young plant being cultivated at the R. & C. Wilson Botanical Garden, San Vito, Costa Rica. The species is locally called "manu negro" and has very hard, termite-resistant wood. The wood is therefore often used as support beams for buildings. [DLN 2758]. Photo by D. L. Nickrent.
   • Herbarium specimen, Missouri Botanical Gardens (MO). Specimen with inflorescences. Photo by D. L. Nickrent.
   • Herbarium specimen, Missouri Botanical Gardens (MO). Specimen with fruits. Photo by D. L. Nickrent.
   • Trunk of tree. Panama. From the Center for Tropical Forest Science, Panama web atlas, Trees of the Panama Canal.
   • Close-up of leaves and buds. Panama. From the Center for Tropical Forest Science, Panama web atlas, Trees of the Panama Canal.
   • Leaf. Costa Rica, Heredia La Selva. Photo by Lawrence Kelly, 2004.
   • Leaf, close-up, showing characteristic tertiary venation. Costa Rica, Heredia La Selva. Photo by Lawrence Kelly, 2004
   • Petiole, showing basal swelling and channel. Costa Rica, Heredia La Selva. Photo by Lawrence Kelly, 2004.
   • Broken petiole showing latex in sap. Costa Rica, Heredia La Selva. Photo by Lawrence Kelly, 2004.
   • Close-up of flowers. Saul, French Guiana. Photo by Carol Gracie.
   • Immature fruits. Los Amigos Conservation Area, Rio Los Amigos, Madre de Dios, Peru. J. Janovec et al. no. 1844. Photo by John Janovec.

Ochanostachys

1. Ochanostachys amentacea
   • Plant with fruits. Malaysia. Photo by A. Gentry (No. 66868). Link goes to TROPICOS database at MO.
   • Illustration. Flora Malesiana 10 12 1984. Link goes to Borneo Tree Images. James K. Jarvie, Beth Dart, Diane Holland.

Aptandraceae Miers (1853)

Anacolosa

1. Anacolosa frutescens
   • Illustration from Flora Malesiana 10 24 1984. Link goes to Borneo Tree Images. James K. Jarvie, Beth Dart, Diane Holland.

Aptandra

1. Aptandra caudata
   • Leaves of plant. Peru, Loreto, Maynas, Explornapo Camp. Al Gentry, R. Vasquez, & N. Jaramillo (No. 54321). Link goes to TROPICOS database at MO.
   • Plant with flowers. Peru, Loreto, Maynas, Explornapo Camp. Al Gentry, R. Vasquez, & N. Jaramillo (No. 54321). Link goes to TROPICOS database at MO.
2. Aptandra tubicina
   • Plant with flowers. Colombia, Caqueta. Gentry and Sanchez (No.65181). Link goes to TROPICOS database at MO.
3. Aptandra zenkeri
   • Fruiting plant. Each fruit has an expanded (accrescent) calyx. Ibadan, Nigeria. Slide no. 9637 archived at K, taken by J. Lowe Sept. 16, 1971.
   • Plant with fruit, Gabon. Photo by A. Gentry (No. 33089). Link goes to TROPICOS database at MO.
   • Fruits, Gabon. Photo by A. Gentry (no. 33530). Link goes to TROPICOS database at MO.

Cathedra

1. Cathedra acuminata
   • Herbarium specimen, showing young fruits. Labels are: 1) annular prophyll, 2) calyx, 3) base of receptacular disk - expands to cover most of drupe, 4) top of disk (base of perianth?), 5) style. Specimen from Missouri Botanical Garden herbarium (MO). Photo by D. L. Nickrent.
   • Herbarium specimen. Mature fruit. Labelling as above. Photo by D. L. Nickrent.
   • Herbarium specimen. Fruiting specimen. Photo by D. L. Nickrent.
   • Plant with flowers, Venezuela. Photo by A. Gentry (No. 24806). Link goes to TROPICOS database at MO.
   • Fruits. Peru, Loreto. Collected by Thomas Croat (19059), Aug. 1972. Link goes to TROPICOS database at MO.
2. Cathedra sp.
   • Plant with fruits, Bolivia. Photo by A. Gentry (No. 77884). Link goes to TROPICOS database at MO.

Chaunochiton

1. Chaunochiton kappleri
   • Herbarium specimen, Note the very large accrescent calyx. Specimen from Missouri Botanical Garden herbarium (MO). Photo by D. L. Nickrent.
   • Leaf, top surface (top) and lower surface (bottom). Los Amigos Conservation Area, Rio Los Amigos, Madre de Dios, Peru. J. Janovec et al. no. 2551. Photo by John Janovec.
2. Chaunochiton loranthoides
   • Herbarium specimen. The large, colorful corolla suggests the plants are bird pollinated - overall resembling Loranthaceae to a remarkable degree. Specimen from Missouri Botanical Garden herbarium (MO). Photo by D. L. Nickrent

Harmandia

1. Harmandia mekongensis
   • Illustration from Tree Flora of Sabah and Sarawak, Vol. 1. (Olacaceae, by Lesmy Tipot, 1995, E. Soepadmo and K. M. Wong, editors, Sabah Forstry Dept., Forest Res. Inst. Malaysia, Sarawak Forestry Dept.).

Ongokea

1. Ongokea gore
   • Herbarium specimen, Missouri Botanical Gardens (MO). Photo by D. L. Nickrent.
   • Fruits. Photo by D. L. Nickrent.

Phanerodiscus

1. Phanerodiscus capuronii
   • Fruiting plant (fruit somewhat malformed). Madagascar, Prov. Toamasina, Ambila-Lemaitso. Photo by G. E. Schatz, [no. 3439, Schatz et al. 28 Jan 1993]. See Malécot, Schatz & Bosser (2003).

Octoknemaceae Soler (1908)

Octoknema

1. Octoknema affinis
   • Fruiting specimen. Mt. Cameroon. Photo by Martin Cheek (Kew) [MC no. 3452]. July 1992.
   • Herbarium specimen, Specimen with fruits from Missouri Botanical Garden herbarium (MO). One of the fruits has a seed which, in transverse section, shows marked invaginations. Photo by D. L. Nickrent.

Olacaceae s. str. R. Brown (1818)

Dulacia (genus should be included in Olax)

1. Dulacia candida
   • Herbarium specimen, Missouri Botanical Gardens (MO). Photo by D. L. Nickrent.

Olax

1. Olax aphylla
   • Habit of this leafless species. Queensland, Australia. [DLN 2810] Photo by D. L. Nickrent.
   • Habitat of Olax aphylla, Queensland, Australia. [DLN 2810]. Photo by D. L. Nickrent.
2. Olax emirnensis
   • Fruiting specimen. Formerly erroneously identified as Anacolosa casearioides. Madagascar. Photo by George Schatz (No. 3620).
3. Olax phyllanthi
   • Habit. Link goes to Australian National Botanic Garden Photo Collection.
   • Stem, leaves, flower. Link goes to Australian National Botanic Garden Photo Collection.
4. Olax scandens
   • Flowering branch. Thailand Junior Encyclopedia Project, Kanchanapisek Network..
   • Close-up of flowers. Thailand Junior Encyclopedia Project, Kanchanapisek Network..
   • Fruiting branch. Thailand.
   • Close-up of fruits. Flora of Suranaree University of Technology (SUT), Nakhon Ratchasima 30000, Thailand.
   • Habit of plant. Thailand, Petchaburi province, Ban Nong Chumpon, Khao Yoi (Williams 1230). Photo by Kyle Williams.
   • Flowering shoots. Thailand, Petchaburi province, Ban Nong Chumpon, Khao Yoi (Williams 1230). Photo by Kyle Williams.
   • Fruits. Thailand, Petchaburi province, Ban Nong Chumpon, Khao Yoi (Williams 1230). Photo by Kyle Williams.
5. Olax stricta
   • Stem, leaves, flower. Link goes to Australian National Botanic Garden Photo Collection.
6. Olax sp.
   • Plant with fruits, Cameroon. Photo by A. Gentry (No. 52972). Link goes to TROPICOS database at MO.
7. Olax sp.
   • Plant with flowers. Mt. Cameroon. Photo by Martin Cheek (Kew) [MC no. 3523]. July 1992.

Ptychopetalum

1. Ptychopetalum olacoides (or P. uncinatum)
   
   • Flowering shoot. Plant extracts used in various herbal remedies - called muira puama - as an aphrodisiac and as a tonic for the nervous, gastrointestinal, and rheumatic problems. May contain psychoactive compounds.
2. Ptychopetalum petiolatum
   
   • Herbarium specimen. Cameroon. Link goes to New York Botanical Garden type collection images.

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Other Taxa Thought to be Related to Olacaceae

The following genera have been placed in Olacaceae in past classifications but are here treated as distinct and unrelated (not in Santalales):

Brachynema Benth.

A number of leaf and floral morphological features are abarrent in Santalales such as the dentate leaf margin and the axil placentation. Recent morphological cladistic analyses (V. Malécot, 2002) indicate that Brachynema is part of Ericales. We are awaiting adequate material to allow a molecular assessment of its position among angiosperms.

1. Brachynema axillare
   • Herbarium specimen, Missouri Botanical Gardens (MO).
   • Herbarium specimen, Missouri Botanical Gardens (MO). Close-up of fruit.
   • Plant with flowers, Venezuela. Photo by A. Gentry (No. 46668). Link goes to TROPICOS database at MO.
   • Plant with flowers and fruit. Venezuela. Photo by Tom Croat.
   • Same plant as above, close-up of flowers and fruit. Venezuela. Photo by Tom Croat.
   • Gynoecium. All from fixed material at Kew (C. A. Cid Ferreira et al. no. 7914; Mun. Oriximiná, Brazil). A. top view. B. cross section. C. Longitudinal section showing axile placentation.

Worchesterianthus Merrill in Philipp.

This species of the Philippines has been placed in Microdesmis (Pandaceae). See Van Steenis (1955).

1. Worchesterianthus magallanensis (Elm.) Merrill.