Family Celastraceae
Synonyms: Brexiaceae APNI*
Plagiopteraceae APNI*
Stackhousiaceae APNI*
Lepuropetalaceae APNI*
Parnassiaceae APNI*
Description: Trees, shrubs (sometimes scrambling), lianas or annual or perennial herbs or subshrubs. Bisexual, monoecious, dioecious, andromonoecious, gynodioecious or polygamous. Sometimes deciduous. Stems unarmed or with thorns, rarely branches terminating in sharp points. Indumentum various.
Leaves alternate, opposite or sub-opposite, occasionally ± whorled or (not in N.S.W.) in basal rosettes or in fascicles on short shoots, rarely scale-like or absent, simple, usually petiolate; margins various; venation pinnate; domatia sometimes present in axils of larger leaves; stipules absent, or minute and often falling early.
Inflorescence axillary or terminal, cymose or racemose (racemes, panicles, spike-like or umbel-like), thyrsoid, or flowers solitary; usually bracteate. Flowers actinomorphic or zygomorphic, bisexual or unisexual, sometimes with a short or cup-shaped hypanthium (Macregoria, Stackhousia). Sepals (2–) 3–5, free or connate, imbricate or valvate. Petals 3–5, free or fused in middle into a tube, imbricate, rarely valvate. Stamens mostly 2–5, sometimes (not in Australia) up to 10 or more, alternate with petals, rarely alternating with staminodes; filaments free or connate to inner wall of nectariferous disc, inserted on or beneath nectariferous disc; anthers 2-locular, dehiscing by longitudinal slits or (not in N.S.W.) transverse or oblique slits, rarely apical. Nectariferous disc various, usually conspicuous. Ovary superior, sometimes partly or completely immersed in nectariferous disc; carpels 2–5, connate; locules (1–)2–5(–10). Style prominent, short or obsolete, sometimes surrounded at base by a cup; stigmas as many as carpels, simple or lobed. Ovules (1–)2–many per locule; placentation various.
Fruit a loculicidal (sometimes strongly 3-lobed) or septicidal capsule, or a schizocarp with up to 5 nutlets (cocci), a drupe, or (not in N.S.W.) a berry with seeds embedded in pulp or a samara. Seeds 1–many, smooth or sometimes furrowed, often with an orange or red aril, sometimes winged.
Distribution and occurrence: World: c. 98 genera, c. 1240 species, widespread in tropical & temperate regions. Australia: 22 genera, c. 71 species, with more likely to be described in the future, Qld, N.S.W., N.T., W.A.
External links:
Angiosperm Phylogeny Website (Family: Celastraceae, Order: Celastrales)
Wikipedia
Text by T. A. James. Updated by Kerry Gibbons, 16-22 May 2023.
Taxon concept: APG IV; Flora NSW, Flora of Australia Online [accessed 19 May 2023], KeyBase [accessed 16 May 2023], Kew Plants of the World Online [accessed 19 May 2023]; Australian Plant Census [accessed 22 May 2023].
| | Key to the genera | |
| 1 | Annuals or perennial subshrubs with woody rootstocks and soft-wooded stems | 2 |
| Trees, woody shrubs or lianes | 3 |
| 2 | Petals fused in middle into tube; stamens 3 long, 2 short; anthers not gland-tipped; style not surrounded by membranous cup | Stackhousia |
| Petals free; stamens 5, equal; anthers gland-tipped; style surrounded above ovary by membranous cup
Back to 1 | Macgregoria |
| 3 | Leaves opposite or nearly so | 4 |
| Leaves alternate
Back to 1 | 5 |
| 4 | Climbing shrubs or vines; stamens mostly 3; fruit a capsule, several-seeded | Hippocratea |
| Erect shrubs or trees; stamens mostly 4; fruit a drupe, 1-seeded
Back to 3 | Elaeodendron |
| 5 | Fruit a hard fleshy drupe, indehiscent | Siphonodon |
| Fruit a capsule, dehiscent
Back to 3 | 6 |
| 6 | Scandent shrubs or vines; flowers unisexual, plants dioecious; branches with conspicuous lenticels | Celastrus |
| Erect shrubs or trees; flowers bisexual; branches without conspicuous lenticels
Back to 5 | 7 |
| 7 | Capsules 5-locular with 5 valves; flowers reddish purple | Hedraianthera |
| Capsules 2–4-locular with 2–4 valves; flowers whitish or greenish yellow
Back to 6 | 8 |
| 8 | Flowers solitary; leaves sessile, needle-like | Apatophyllum |
| Flowers few to many, in cymes or racemes; leaves petiolate, not needle-like
Back to 7 | Denhamia |
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