PlantNET Home DONATE TODAY | PlantNET Home | Search NSW Flora | Contact Us  
FloraOnline
Introduction
Plant Name Search
Index Search
Spatial Search
Identification Keys
Classification
Glossary
WeedAlert
Telopea Journal
Other Data Sources
NEW SOUTH WALES FLORA ONLINE Printable Page

Family ESCALLONIACEAE

Synonyms: Polyosmaceae APNI*
Eremosynaceae APNI*
Tribelaceae APNI*

Description: Shrubs or small trees, or monoecious annual herbs (Eremosyne, not in NSW).

Leaves alternate, occasionally opposite (Polyosma) or pseudowhorled, simple, petiolate; margins entire or toothed, often with gland-tipped teeth, or (Eremosyne, not in NSW) pinnatifid; stipules absent.

Inflorescences usually terminal, mostly racemes, sometimes paniculate, or (not in Australia) flowers solitary. Flowers actinomorphic, bisexual, rarely unisexual (not in Australia), 4–9-merous. Sepals fused in lower part. Petals free, sometimes ± cohering and forming a tube, thereby appearing fused. Stamens 4–9, alternating with the petals; filaments free; anthers 2-locular, dehiscing by longitudinal slits, usually introrse. Nectary disc usually present. Ovary inferior or ± superior (Anopterus), 2(–5)-carpellate, 1–3(–5)-locular (1 locular in N.S.W) ; ovules numerous per locule, or (Eremosyne, not in NSW) one per locule; style simple or of two stylodia.

Fruit a septicidal or loculicidal capsule or a 1- seeded berry or drupe (Polyosma). Seeds 1–many, rarely winged (Anopterus).


Distribution and occurrence: World: 8 genera, c. 139 species, Central and South America, Malesia to New Zealand, Réunion. Australia: 4 genera, c. 12 species, W.A., Qld, N.S.W.(native and naturalised), S.A. (naturalised),Tas.

External links:
Angiosperm Phylogeny Website (Family: Escalloniaceae, Order: Escalloniales)
Wikipedia

Escalloniaceae as circumscribed in Flora of NSW 3 (1992) has been shown to include a number of unrelated genera, now placed in Argophyllaceae, Paracryphiaceae and Rousseaceae.

Text by G. J. Harden (1992); edited KL Wilson (April 2010); updated by K.L. Gibbons May 2023.
Taxon concept: APG IV; D.J. Olsen, Flora of Australia Online [accessed 29 May 2023]; Watson & Macfarlane Eremosyne, FloraBase [accessed 29 May 2023]. Distribution and occurrence: Kew Plants of the World Online; Australian Plant Census [both accessed 25 May 2023].

 Key to the genera 
1Leaves opposite or nearly so or in pseudowhorls; fruit a 1-seeded berry; [leaves 3–9 cm long, with acuminate to acute apex; calyx 4-toothed]Polyosma
1Leaves alternate, sometimes clustered at end of branches; fruit a many-seeded capsule2
2Leaves 15–50 cm long and at least 4 times long as wide, with acuminate apex; calyx 6–9-toothedAnopterus
Leaves < 8 cm long and less than 4 times long as wide, with more or less obtuse apex; calyx 5-toothed
                       Back to 1
Escallonia

  Privacy | Copyright | Disclaimer | About PlantNET | Cite PlantNET