ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ

Subfamily

II. Subfam. Viticoideae Briq. in Engler & Prantl (1895).

Description

Trees or shrubs; leaves simple, usually aromatic; inflorescence terminal, dense to lax, pyramidal-thyrsoid cymes, or axillary simple cymes; flowers not scented, blue violet or purple; calyx campanulate, truncate or minutely 4-(5)-dentate; corolla hypocrateriform, zygomorphic, 4-lobed, 2-lipped; stamens 2 plus 2 staminodes, inserted at or just above the middle of tube, only a little exserted, didynamous, thecae widely divergent at base, connective thickened; ovary 2-carpellate, each carpel 2-locular, ovules 4; style terminal, with stigma-lobes short, unequal; fruit drupaceous with fleshy exocarp, pyrene hard, 4-seeded (or 3-1 by abortion).  Twelve species.  Tropical America.

Distribution

Native to:

79 Mexico
80 Central America
81 Caribbean
82 Northern South America
83 Western South America
84 Brazil

Synonyms

Agnanthus Vaill. ex L., Gen. Pl.: 366 (1737), nom. inval.

Hosta Jacq., Pl. Hort. Schoenbr. 1: 60 (1797), nom. rej.

Hostana Pers., Syn. Pl. 1: 143 (1805). 

Publication

Cornutia L., Sp. Pl. 2:  623 (1753);  Moldenke, Rep. Spec. Nov. 40: 153-205 (1936), rev.

top

Image resource

© Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew