Phyllanthaceae is a

family Family (from la, familia) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its members and of society. Idea ...

flowering plant Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (), commonly called angiosperms. They include all forbs (flowering plants without a woody stem), grasses and grass-like plants, a vast majority of ...

s in the eudicot

order Order, ORDER or Orders may refer to: * Categorization, the process in which ideas and objects are recognized, differentiated, and understood * Heterarchy, a system of organization wherein the elements have the potential to be ranked a number of d ...

Malpighiales The Malpighiales comprise one of the largest orders of flowering plants, containing about 36 families and more than species, about 7.8% of the eudicots. The order is very diverse, containing plants as different as the willow, violet, poinse ...

. It is most closely related to the family Picrodendraceae.Kenneth J. Wurdack and Charles C. Davis. 2009. "Malpighiales phylogenetics: Gaining ground on one of the most recalcitrant clades in the angiosperm tree of life." ''American Journal of Botany'' 96(8):1551-1570. (see ''External links'' below) The Phyllanthaceae are most numerous in the

tropics The tropics are the regions of Earth surrounding the Equator. They are defined in latitude by the Tropic of Cancer in the Northern Hemisphere at N and the Tropic of Capricorn in the Southern Hemisphere at S. The tropics are also referred ...

, with many in the south temperate zone, and a few ranging as far north as the middle of the north temperate zone.Petra Hoffman. 2007. "Phyllanthaceae" pages 250-252. In: Vernon H. Heywood, Richard K. Brummitt, Ole Seberg, and Alastair Culham. ''Flowering Plant Families of the World.'' Firefly Books: Ontario, Canada. . Some species of ''

Andrachne ''Andrachne'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Phyllanthaceae described by Linnaeus in 1753. It is one of eight genera in the tribe Poranthereae. Maria S. Vorontsova and Petra Hoffmann. 2008. "A phylogenetic classification of tribe Po ...

'', '' Antidesma'', '' Margaritaria'', and '' Phyllanthus'' are in cultivation.Anthony J. Huxley, Mark Griffiths, and Margot Levy (editors). 1992. ''The New Royal Horticultural Society Dictionary of Gardening.'' The Macmillan Press Limited, London; The Stockton Press, New York. (set) A few species of '' Antidesma'', '' Baccaurea'', '' Phyllanthus'', and '' Uapaca'' bear edible fruit. Phyllanthaceae comprises about 2000 species. Depending on the author, these are grouped into 54 to 60

genera Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below family. In binomial ...

. Some of the genera are poorly defined, and the number of genera in the family is likely to change as the classification is further refined. The genus '' Phyllanthus'', one of the largest genera of flowering plants with over 1200 species, has more than half of the species in the family. Some of the genera have recently been sunk into others, while other genera have recently been divided.Kanchana Pruesapan, Ian R.H. Telford, Jeremy J. Bruhl, Stefano G.A. Draisma, and Peter C. Van Welzen. 2008. "Delimitation of ''Sauropus'' (Phyllanthaceae) Based on Plastid matK and Nuclear Ribosomal ITS DNA Sequence Data." ''Annals of Botany'' 102(6):1007-1018. (see ''External links'' below) The largest genera and the approximate number of species in each are: '' Phyllanthus'' (1270), '' Cleistanthus'' (140), '' Antidesma'' (100), '' Aporosa'' (90), '' Uapaca'' (60), '' Baccaurea'' (50), and '' Bridelia'' (50)."Phyllanthaceae" In: Peter F. Stevens (2001 onwards). Angiosperm Phylogeny Website. In: Missouri Botanical Garden Website. (see external links below) Since Phyllanthaceae was revised in 2006, one paper has removed '' Heterosavia'' from '' Savia''. Another has separated ''

Notoleptopus ''Notoleptopus'' is a monotypic genus of flowering plants in the family Phyllanthaceae. It is one of eight genera in the tribe Poranthereae. The sole species is ''Notoleptopus decaisnei''. It is a monoecious shrub, native to Australia, New Guinea ...

'' from '' Leptopus'', and segregated '' Pseudophyllanthus'' and '' Phyllanthopsis'' from ''

''. Also, '' Oreoporanthera'' has been subsumed into '' Poranthera'', while '' Zimmermannia'' and '' Zimmermanniopsis'' have been sunk into '' Meineckia''. The large genus '' Cleistanthus'' is known to be

polyphyletic A polyphyletic group is an assemblage of organisms or other evolving elements that is of mixed evolutionary origin. The term is often applied to groups that share similar features known as homoplasies, which are explained as a result of conver ...

, but further studies will be needed before it can be revised.

Description

The description here is from Hoffmann, except for a few additions from Webster and Hutchinson John Hutchinson. "Euphorbiaceae" pages 329-330. In: ''The Families of Flowering Plants, Third Edition (1973)''. Oxford University Press: London. where cited. Phyllanthaceae is an unusually diverse family for its moderate size. It can be recognized only by a combination of characters because there are a few exceptions to almost everything that is generally true of the family. It is most notable for having two

ovule In seed plants, the ovule is the structure that gives rise to and contains the female reproductive cells. It consists of three parts: the '' integument'', forming its outer layer, the ''nucellus'' (or remnant of the megasporangium), and the f ...

s in each

locule A locule (plural locules) or loculus (plural loculi) (meaning "little place" in Latin) is a small cavity or compartment within an organ or part of an organism (animal, plant, or fungus). In angiosperms (flowering plants), the term ''locule'' usu ...

of the ovary, a trait that clearly distinguishes it from

Euphorbiaceae Euphorbiaceae, the spurge family, is a large family of flowering plants. In English, they are also commonly called euphorbias, which is also the name of a genus in the family. Most spurges, such as '' Euphorbia paralias'', are herbs, but some, ...

. The Phyllanthaceae are nearly all

tree In botany, a tree is a perennial plant with an elongated stem, or trunk, usually supporting branches and leaves. In some usages, the definition of a tree may be narrower, including only woody plants with secondary growth, plants that are ...

s, shrubs, or herbs. A few are climbers, or succulents, and one species, '' Phyllanthus fluitans'', is aquatic. Unlike many of the

, none has

latex Latex is an emulsion (stable dispersion) of polymer microparticles in water. Latexes are found in nature, but synthetic latexes are common as well. In nature, latex is found as a milky fluid found in 10% of all flowering plants (angiosper ...

, and only a very few produce a

resin In polymer chemistry and materials science, resin is a solid or highly viscous substance of plant or synthetic origin that is typically convertible into polymers. Resins are usually mixtures of organic compounds. This article focuses on n ...

ous exudate. Any hairs, if present, are almost always simple. Rarely are they branched or scale-like. Thorns and other armament are rare.

Stipule In botany, a stipule is an outgrowth typically borne on both sides (sometimes on just one side) of the base of a leafstalk (the petiole). Stipules are considered part of the anatomy of the leaf of a typical flowering plant, although in many speci ...

s are produced with each

leaf A leaf (plural, : leaves) is any of the principal appendages of a vascular plant plant stem, stem, usually borne laterally aboveground and specialized for photosynthesis. Leaves are collectively called foliage, as in "autumn foliage", wh ...

, but in some, these fall before the leaf is fully mature. Leaves are present, except for a few species of '' Phyllanthus'' that have flattened, leaflike stems called

cladodes :''In botany, "Cladodes" may refer to a synonym of the genus '' Alchornea'' or to the plural of " cladode".'' ''Cladodes'' is a genus of firefly beetles. It used to be included in the subfamily Amydetinae, which is probably a highly artifici ...

that bear flowers along their edges. The leaves are compound in ''

Bischofia ''Bischofia'' is a genus of plants in the family Phyllanthaceae first described as a genus in 1827. It is native to southern China, the Indian Subcontinent, Queensland, New Guinea, and various islands of the Pacific. It is the only member of th ...

'', but otherwise simple and usually alternate. Rarely are they opposite, in fascicles, or in whorls around the stem. The leaf margin is almost always entire, rarely toothed. A petiole is nearly always present, often with a pulvinus at its base. The

inflorescence An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches. Morphologically, it is the modified part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are formed ...

s are usually in the axils of leaves, rarely below the leaves or at the ends of stems. In '' Uapaca'', the flowers are in a pseudanthium, a tight bundle of flowers that resembles a single flower. Except for four species of '' Aporosa'', the flowers are unisexual, the plants being either

monoecious Monoecy (; adj. monoecious ) is a sexual system in seed plants where separate male and female cones or flowers are present on the same plant. It is a monomorphic sexual system alongside gynomonoecy, andromonoecy and trimonoecy. Monoecy i ...

dioecious Dioecy (; ; adj. dioecious , ) is a characteristic of a species, meaning that it has distinct individual organisms (unisexual) that produce male or female gametes, either directly (in animals) or indirectly (in seed plants). Dioecious reproducti ...

. The flowers are actinomorphic in form. Detailed illustrations have been published for some of these. The

sepal A sepal () is a part of the flower of angiosperms (flowering plants). Usually green, sepals typically function as protection for the flower in bud, and often as support for the petals when in bloom., p. 106 The term ''sepalum'' was coined ...

s are three to eight in number, usually free from each other.

Petal Petals are modified leaves that surround the reproductive parts of flowers. They are often brightly colored or unusually shaped to attract pollinators. All of the petals of a flower are collectively known as the ''corolla''. Petals are usuall ...

s may be absent or present. If present, there are usually four to six, and their color is yellow to green, or rarely, pink or maroon. A nectary disk is often present. It may be in the form of a ring, or divided into segments. The

stamen The stamen (plural ''stamina'' or ''stamens'') is the pollen-producing reproductive organ of a flower. Collectively the stamens form the androecium., p. 10 Morphology and terminology A stamen typically consists of a stalk called the filam ...

s are three to ten in number, or rarely more, free or variously fused. The ovary is

superior Superior may refer to: *Superior (hierarchy), something which is higher in a hierarchical structure of any kind Places *Superior (proposed U.S. state), an unsuccessful proposal for the Upper Peninsula of Michigan to form a separate state *Lake ...

. The number of

s in the ovary is highly variable, usually from two to five, but sometimes as many as fifteen. The

placentation Placentation refers to the formation, type and structure, or arrangement of the placenta. The function of placentation is to transfer nutrients, respiratory gases, and water from maternal tissue to a growing embryo, and in some instances to remov ...

is apical, with a pair of

ovules In seed plants, the ovule is the structure that gives rise to and contains the female reproductive cells. It consists of three parts: the '' integument'', forming its outer layer, the '' nucellus'' (or remnant of the megasporangium), and the ...

hanging by their funicles from the top of each locule. Often, only one of the ovules will develop into a

seed A seed is an embryonic plant enclosed in a protective outer covering, along with a food reserve. The formation of the seed is a part of the process of reproduction in seed plants, the spermatophytes, including the gymnosperm and angiosper ...

. A single, massive

obturator Obturator may refer to: Medicine Anatomical structures * Obturator foramen * Obturator fascia * Obturator canal * Obturator vessels (disambiguation) ** Obturator artery ** Obturator veins * Obturator nerve ** Anterior branch of obturator ...

may cover the micropyles of both ovules, or each ovule may have its own thin obturator. The megagametophyte is of the

Polygonum type ''Polygonum'' is a genus of about 130 species of flowering plant in the buckwheat and knotweed family Polygonaceae. Common names include knotweed and knotgrass (though the common names may refer more broadly to plants from Polygonaceae). In ...

. The style is usually 2-lobed or

bifid Bifid refers to something that is split or cleft into two parts. It may refer to: * Bifid, a variation in the P wave, R wave, or T wave in an echocardiogram in which a wave which usually has a single peak instead has two separate peaks * Bifi ...

, sometimes entire, or rarely multifid. The fruit is a schizocarp,

drupe In botany, a drupe (or stone fruit) is an indehiscent fruit in which an outer fleshy part ( exocarp, or skin, and mesocarp, or flesh) surrounds a single shell (the ''pit'', ''stone'', or '' pyrena'') of hardened endocarp with a seed (''kerne ...

, or

berry A berry is a small, pulpy, and often edible fruit. Typically, berries are juicy, rounded, brightly colored, sweet, sour or tart, and do not have a stone or pit, although many pips or seeds may be present. Common examples are strawberries, rasp ...

. In some, the schizocarp breaks up explosively.

Taxonomy

History

The name "Phyllanthaceae" was first

validly published In botanical nomenclature, a validly published name is a name that meets the requirements in the ''International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants'' for valid publication. Valid publication of a name represents the minimum require ...

by Ivan Ivanovich Martynov in 1820 in a Russian book entitled ''Tekhno-botanico Slovar.'' A proposal to conserve this name was published in 2007. Martynov's name was rarely used in the 180 years after he published it. During that time, the plants that are now in Phyllanthaceae were placed in the large and heterogeneous family

. The monophyly of Euphorbiaceae had long been held in doubt by some, but the first strong evidence of its

polyphyly A polyphyletic group is an assemblage of organisms or other evolving elements that is of mixed evolutionary origin. The term is often applied to groups that share similar features known as homoplasies, which are explained as a result of conver ...

came in 1993 with the first maximum parsimony analysis of DNA sequences of the

gene In biology, the word gene (from , ; "... Wilhelm Johannsen coined the word gene to describe the Mendelian units of heredity..." meaning ''generation'' or ''birth'' or ''gender'') can have several different meanings. The Mendelian gene is a b ...

rbcL from a large number of seed plants.Mark W. Chase et alii (42 authors). 1993. "Phylogenetics of seed plants: an analysis of nucleotide sequences from the plastid gene ''rbcL.''" ''Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden'' 80(3):528-580. Since the 1993 study, all subsequent

phylogenetic In biology, phylogenetics (; from Greek φυλή/ φῦλον [] "tribe, clan, race", and wikt:γενετικός, γενετικός [] "origin, source, birth") is the study of the evolutionary history and relationships among or within groups o ...

analyses have shown that the old concept of Euphorbiaceae consisted of several lineages that did not together form a clade in the order

. Euphorbiaceae is now defined as a much smaller family than it had been in the twentieth century.Toru Tokuoka. 2007. "Molecular phylogenetic analysis of Euphorbiaceae sensu stricto based on plastid and nuclear DNA sequences and ovule and seed character evolution." ''Journal of Plant Research'' 120(4):511-522. (see ''External links'' below).Charles C. Davis, Maribeth Latvis, Daniel L. Nickrent, Kenneth J. Wurdack, and David A. Baum. 2007. "Floral Gigantism in Rafflesiaceae." ''Science'' 315(5820):1812. (see ''External links'' below). Pandaceae, Phyllanthaceae, Picrodendraceae, Putranjivaceae, Peraceae, and Centroplacaceae have been removed from it. The obsolete, older concept of Euphorbiaceae, known as Euphorbiaceae sensu lato, is sometimes still used for continuity and convenience.Petra Hoffmann, Don Kirkup, Aimee Galster, Gill Challen, and Alan Radcliffe-Smith. 2005 onward. Interactive Key to the Genera of Euphorbiaceae sensu lato. In: Index of /herbarium/keys. (see ''External links'' below). It was the subject of a book and two papers which stood as the standard works on Phyllanthaceae until that family was revised by Hoffmann and co-authors in 2006.Alan Radcliffe-Smith. 2001. ''Genera Euphorbiacearum.'' Kew Publishing, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew: Richmond, England.

Classification

Cleistanthus collinus (Garari) in Narsapur forest, AP W IMG 0165

In the past, the genera '' Centroplacus'', '' Paradrypetes'', and ''Phyllanoa'' had been placed in Phyllanthaceae, but these are now excluded from the family. ''Centroplacus'' is now in the family Centroplacaceae. ''Paradrypetes'' is in Rhizophoraceae. ''Phyllanoa'' is known only from a single specimen. In 1996, this was examined and found to be a species of '' Rinorea'' (

Violaceae Violaceae is a family of flowering plants established in 1802, consisting of about 1000 species in about 25 genera. It takes its name from the genus ''Viola'', the violets and pansies. Older classifications such as the Cronquist system placed ...

). The family Phyllanthaceae is divided into two subfamilies: Antidesmatoideae and Phyllanthoideae. Antidesmatoideae is divided into six tribes and Phyllanthoideae is divided into four. The tribe Antidesmateae of Antidesmatoideae, and the tribes Bridelieae and Wielandieae of Phyllanthoideae are further divided into subtribes. The following classification table is from the 2006 revision of Phyllanthaceae. Incertae sedis: '' Chonocentrum'' Subfamily

Antidesmatoideae Phyllanthaceae is a family of flowering plants in the eudicot order Malpighiales. It is most closely related to the family Picrodendraceae.Kenneth J. Wurdack and Charles C. Davis. 2009. "Malpighiales phylogenetics: Gaining ground on one of the m ...

6 tribes : Tribe

Bischofieae ''Bischofia'' is a genus of plants in the family Phyllanthaceae first described as a genus in 1827. It is native to southern China, the Indian Subcontinent, Queensland, New Guinea, and various islands of the Pacific. It is the only member of the ...

1 genus ::: ''

'' : Tribe

Uapaceae ''Uapaca'' is a genus of plant, in the family Phyllanthaceae first described as a genus in 1858. It is the only genus comprised in the tribe Uapaceae. The genus is native to Africa and Madagascar. ''Uapaca'' is dioecious, with male and female fl ...

1 genus ::: '' Uapaca'' : Tribe

Spondiantheae ''Spondianthus'' is a genus of plant, in the family Phyllanthaceae and is the only genus comprised in the tribe Spondiantheae. It was first described as a genus in 1905. The genus contains only one recognized species, ''Spondianthus preussii ...

1 genus ::: ''

Spondianthus ''Spondianthus'' is a genus of plant, in the family Phyllanthaceae and is the only genus comprised in the tribe Spondiantheae. It was first described as a genus in 1905. The genus contains only one recognized species, ''Spondianthus preussii'', ...

'' : Tribe Scepeae 8 genera ::: '' Aporosa'' ::: '' Ashtonia'' ::: '' Baccaurea'' ::: ''

Distichirhops ''Distichirhops'' is a genus of flowering plant belonging to the family Phyllanthaceae. The genus comprises 3 species, found in the secondary forests of New Guinea and Borneo. The taxon name comes from Greek (''distichos'' meaning "in tw ...

'' ::: ''

Maesobotrya ''Maesobotrya'' is a genus of flowering plant belonging to the family (biology), family Phyllanthaceae first described as a genus in 1879. It is native to sub-Saharan Africa. It is dioecious, with male and female flowers on separate plants. ;Sp ...

'' ::: ''

Nothobaccaurea ''Nothobaccaurea'' is a genus of flowering plant belonging to the family (biology), family Phyllanthaceae, first described as a genus in 2000. It is native to various islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific. The genus is named for its false resemb ...

'' ::: ''

Protomegabaria ''Protomegabaria'' is a genus of flowering plant belonging to the family Phyllanthaceae first described as a genus in 1911. It is native to western and central Africa. It is dioecious, with male and female flowers on separate plants. ;Species # ...

'' ::: '' Richeria'' : Tribe Jablonskieae 2 genera ::: ''

Jablonskia ''Jablonskia congesta'' is a species of flowering plant belonging to the family Phyllanthaceae. The genus ''Jablonskia'' is monotypic. This species is found in northern South America South America is a continent entirely in the Wester ...

'' ::: '' Celianella'' : Tribe Antidesmateae 5 subtribes :: Subtribe

Hieronyminae ''Hieronyma'' is a genus in the plant family (biology), family Phyllanthaceae. It was first described as a genus in 1848. This family was formerly united with spurges, Croton (plant), crotons, copperleaf, copperleaves, etc. (Euphorbiaceae), but h ...

1 genus ::: ''

Hieronyma ''Hieronyma'' is a genus in the plant family Phyllanthaceae. It was first described as a genus in 1848. This family was formerly united with spurges, crotons, copperleaves, etc. ( Euphorbiaceae), but have turned out to be well distinct. Th ...

'' :: Subtribe

Leptonematinae ''Leptonema'' is a genus of flowering plant belonging to the family Phyllanthaceae first described in 1824. The entire genus is endemic to Madagascar. It is dioecious, with male and female flowers on separate plants. ;Species # ''Leptonema gla ...

1 genus ::: ''

Leptonema ''Leptonema'' is a genus of flowering plant belonging to the family Phyllanthaceae first described in 1824. The entire genus is endemic to Madagascar. It is dioecious, with male and female flowers on separate plants. ;Species # '' Leptonema g ...

'' :: Subtribe Martretiinae 2 genera ::: ''

Martretia ''Martretia'' is a genus of plants in the family Phyllanthaceae first described as a genus in 1907. It contains only one known species, ''Martretia quadricornis'', native to western and central Africa from Sierra Leone to Democratic Republic of ...

'' ::: ''

Apodiscus ''Apodiscus'' is a genus of trees belonging to the family Phyllanthaceae first described as a genus in 1912. It contains only one known species, ''Apodiscus chevalieri'', native to tropical West Africa (Guinea, Liberia and possibly Sierra Leone ...

'' :: Subtribe

Hymenocardiinae Hymenocardiinae is a subtribe of the plant family Phyllanthaceae. It comprises 2 genera. See also * Taxonomy of the Phyllanthaceae Below is the full taxonomy of the family Phyllanthaceae. Its circumscription is nearly coincident to that ...

2 genera ::: ''

Hymenocardia ''Hymenocardia'' is a genus of trees in the family Phyllanthaceae first described as a genus in 1836. Most of the species are native to Africa, with one in Southeast Asia. Species in this genus are dioecious, with male and female flowers on sep ...

'' ::: ''

Didymocistus ''Didymocistus'' is a genus of plants in the family Phyllanthaceae first described as a genus in 1940. It contains only one known species, ''Didymocistus chrysadenius'', native to the Loreto region of northeastern Peru, the Amazonas Department o ...

'' :: Subtribe Antidesmatinae 2 genera ::: '' Antidesma'' ::: ''

Thecacoris ''Thecacoris'' is a genus of flowering plant belonging to the family (biology), family Phyllanthaceae first described as a genus in 1821. It is native to tropical Africa and Madagascar. It is dioecious, with male and female flowers on separate p ...

'' Subfamily Phyllanthoideae 4 tribes : Tribe

Bridelieae Bridelieae is a tribe of the family Phyllanthaceae. Subtribes and genera It comprises 5 subtribes: ;Amanoinae #''Amanoa'' ;Keayodendrinae #'' Keayodendron'' Pseudolachnostylidinae #''Bridelia'' (also ''Candelabria'', ''Gentilia'', ''Pentameri ...

5 subtribes :: Subtribe

Securineginae Bridelieae is a tribe of the family Phyllanthaceae. Subtribes and genera It comprises 5 subtribes: ;Amanoinae #''Amanoa'' ;Keayodendrinae #'' Keayodendron'' Pseudolachnostylidinae #''Bridelia'' (also ''Candelabria'', ''Gentilia'', ''Pentamer ...

2 genera ::: '' Securinega'' ::: ''

Lachnostylis ''Lachnostylis'' is a genus of the family Phyllanthaceae first described as a genus in 1846. It is native to the Eastern Cape and the Western Cape Provinces of South Africa. It is often included in '' Savia''. It is dioecious Dioecy (; ; adj. ...

'' :: Subtribe Saviinae 5 genera ::: '' Savia'' ::: ''

Croizatia ''Croizatia'' is a small genus of plants in the Phyllanthaceae first described as a genus in 1952. It is native to Panama and to northwestern South America.Govaerts, R., Frodin, D.G. & Radcliffe-Smith, A. (2000). World Checklist and Bibliography ...

'' ::: ''

Discocarpus ''Discocarpus'' is a genus of the plant family Phyllanthaceae first described as a genus in 1841. It is native to northern South America. It is dioecious, with male and female flowers on separate plants. ;Species # '' Discocarpus essequeboensis' ...

'' ::: '' Gonatogyne'' ::: ''

Tacarcuna ''Tacarcuna'' is a genus of plants in the Phyllanthaceae first described as a genus in 1989. It is native to Panama, Colombia, Venezuela, and Peru. It is apparently dioecious, with male and female flowers on separate plants. ;Species # '' Taca ...

'' :: Subtribe Pseudolachnostylidinae 4 genera ::: ''

Pseudolachnostylis ''Pseudolachnostylis'' is a genus of plants in the family Phyllanthaceae first described as a genus in 1899. It contains only one known species, ''Pseudolachnostylis maprouneifolia'' native to central and southern Africa. Its common name is kudu ...

'' ::: '' Bridelia'' ::: '' Cleistanthus'' ::: ''

Pentabrachion ''Pentabrachion'' is a plant genus from the family Phyllanthaceae first described as a genus in 1864. It contains only one known species, ''Pentabrachion reticulatum'', native to tropical Africa (Cameroon, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea, Republic of t ...

'' :: Subtribe

Keayodendrinae ''Keayodendron'' is a genus of plants in the family Phyllanthaceae first described as a genus in 1959. It contains only one known species, ''Keayodendron bridelioides'', native to tropical western and Central Africa (Ghana, Cote d’Ivoire, Nige ...

1 genus ::: ''

Keayodendron ''Keayodendron'' is a genus of plants in the family Phyllanthaceae first described as a genus in 1959. It contains only one known species, ''Keayodendron bridelioides'', native to tropical western and Central Africa (Ghana, Cote d’Ivoire, Nige ...

'' :: Subtribe

Amanoinae :''See also Queen Amanoa, a fictional character from the ''Star Wars'' expanded universe.'' ''Amanoa'' is a genus from the family Phyllanthaceae first described as a genus in 1775. It is native to South America, Central America, the West Indies ...

1 genus ::: ''

Amanoa :''See also Queen Amanoa, a fictional character from the ''Star Wars'' expanded universe.'' ''Amanoa'' is a genus from the family Phyllanthaceae first described as a genus in 1775. It is native to South America, Central America, the West Indies ...

'' : Tribe Phyllantheae 5 genera ::: '' Phyllanthus'' (including ''

Breynia ''Breynia'' is a plant genus in the family Phyllanthaceae, first described in 1776. It is native to Southeast Asia, China, the Indian Subcontinent, Papuasia, Australia, and the island of Réunion. The name ''Breynia'' is a conserved name ...

'', '' Glochidion'', ''

Reverchonia ''Phyllanthus'' is the largest genus in the plant family Phyllanthaceae. Estimates of the number of species in this genus vary widely, from 750David J. Mabberley. 2008. ''Mabberley's Plant-Book.'' third edition (2008). Cambridge University ...

'', and '' Sauropus'') ::: '' Flueggea'' ::: '' Lingelsheimia'' ::: '' Margaritaria'' ::: '' Plagiocladus'' : Tribe

Wielandieae Wielandieae is a tribe of the family Phyllanthaceae. It comprises 10 genera Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological ...

2 subtribes :: Subtribe

Astrocasiinae Wielandieae is a tribe of the family Phyllanthaceae. It comprises 10 genera Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological c ...

3 genera ::: ''

Astrocasia Astrocasia is a plant genus of the family (biology), family Phyllanthaceae first described as a genus in 1905. It is included in the subtribe Astrocasiinae. It is native to Mesoamerica, northern South America, and the western part of the West In ...

'' ::: ''

Chascotheca ''Chascotheca'' is a genus of plants in the family Phyllanthaceae described as a genus in 1904. It is native to the western Caribbean.Govaerts, R., Frodin, D.G. & Radcliffe-Smith, A. (2000). World Checklist and Bibliography of Euphorbiaceae (and ...

'' ::: ''

Heywoodia ''Heywoodia'' is a genus of plants in the Phyllanthaceae first described as a genus in 1907. It contains only one known species, ''Heywoodia lucens'', native to eastern, southeastern, and southern Africa ( Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Mozambique ...

'' :: Subtribe Wielandiinae 3 genera ::: ''

Wielandia ''Wielandia'' is a genus of flowering plant, of the family Phyllanthaceae first described as a genus in 1858. The plants are native to Kenya, Madagascar, and to various other islands in the Indian Ocean The Indian Ocean is the third-largest ...

'' ::: ''

Chorisandrachne ''Chorisandrachne'' is a genus of plants in the family Phyllanthaceae first described as a genus in 1969. It contains only one known species, ''Chorisandrachne diplosperma'', native to southern Thailand Thailand ( ), historically known ...

'' ::: ''

Dicoelia ''Dicoelia'' is a plant genus of the family Phyllanthaceae Phyllanthaceae is a family of flowering plants in the eudicot order Malpighiales. It is most closely related to the family Picrodendraceae.Kenneth J. Wurdack and Charles C. Davis. 20 ...

'' : Tribe Poranthereae 8 genera ::: '' Poranthera'' ::: '' Actephila'' ::: ''

'' ::: '' Leptopus'' ::: '' Meineckia'' ::: '' Oreoporanthera'' ::: '' Zimmermannia'' ::: '' Zimmermanniopsis''

Genera

The list of 54 genera below is from the 2006 revision of Phyllanthaceae by Petra Hoffmann and co-workers. In their treatment, ''

Blotia ''Wielandia'' is a genus of flowering plant, of the family Phyllanthaceae first described as a genus in 1858. The plants are native to Kenya, Madagascar, and to various other islands in the Indian Ocean The Indian Ocean is the third-largest ...

'' and '' Petalodiscus'' were sunk into ''

'' and '' Richeriella'' into '' Flueggea''. ''

'', '' Glochidion'', ''

'', and '' Sauropus'' were recommended to be subsumed into '' Phyllanthus'', but many new species combinations must be published to effect this change. Genera previously considered as the tribe

Drypeteae Putranjivaceae is a rosid family that is composed of 218 species in 2 genera of evergreen tropical trees that are found mainly in the Old World tropics, but with a few species in tropical America. Members of this family have 2-ranked coriaceo ...

are now placed in the separate family Putranjivaceae.

Phylogeny

The revision of Phyllanthaceae by Hoffmann and co-authors was based on two

molecular phylogenetic Molecular phylogenetics () is the branch of phylogeny that analyzes genetic, hereditary molecular differences, predominantly in DNA sequences, to gain information on an organism's evolutionary relationships. From these analyses, it is possible to ...

studies that were published in 2005. Since the revision, phylogenetic studies have been done on some of the tribes. The phylogenetic tree shown below is based on the results of several studies. Fifty-one genera are represented. ''Chonocentrum''(Phyllanthaceae,

incertae sedis ' () or ''problematica'' is a term used for a taxonomic group where its broader relationships are unknown or undefined. Alternatively, such groups are frequently referred to as "enigmatic taxa". In the system of open nomenclature, uncertain ...

), and three members of the tribe Scepeae (''Ashtonia'', ''Distichirrhops'', and ''Nothobaccaurea'') have not yet been sampled for DNA. ''Chonocentrum'' is known from only a single specimen collected in the 1850s. In the phylogeny shown below, statistical support for the clades was measured by bootstrap percentage. All branches shown below have maximum parsimony bootstrap support of at least 70%.

Description

Taxonomy

History

Classification

Genera

Phylogeny

References

External links