Chloranthaceae
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Chloranthaceae is the botanical name of a family of flowering plants. Such a family has been recognised by many taxonomists, at least after the plants were discovered, which was relatively recently.
The APG II system, of 2003 (unchanged from the APG system, of 1998), does recognise such a family and leaves it unplaced as to order. It is not placed at all beyond being accepted among the most basic lineages in the clade angiosperms. The family consists of a few genera, totalling several dozen species, of woody plants in the tropics (not in Africa and Australia).
Members of this family have opposite leaves and interpetiolar stipules (similar to the stipules found in family Rubiaceae). The flowers are inconspicuous, and arranged in inflorescences. Petals are absent in this family, and sometimes so are sepals. The flowers can be either hermaphrodite or of separate sexes. The fruit is drupe-like, consisting of one carpel.
The [AP-website] suggests that the family could be given its own order Chloranthales. This suggestion may be taken up in APG III.
The Cronquist system, of 1981, assigned the family
- to the order Piperales
- : in subclass Magnoliidae
- :: in class Magnoliopsida [=dicotyledons]
- ::: of division Magnoliophyta [=angiosperms].
The Thorne system (1992) placed it
- in the order Magnoliales, which was assigned
- : to superorder Magnolianae
- :: in subclass Magnoliideae [=dicotyledons],
- ::: in class Magnoliopsida [=angiosperms].
The Dahlgren system raised the family to be
- its own order Chloranthales, which was assigned
- : to superorder Magnolianae
- :: in subclass Magnoliideae [=dicotyledons],
- ::: in class Magnoliopsida [=angiosperms].
External links :
- [Chloranthaceae] in L. Watson and M.J. Dallwitz (1992 onwards) [The families of flowering plants:] descriptions, illustrations, identification, information retrieval. Version: 3rd May 2006. http://delta-intkey.com.
- [Andes Trees]
- [NCBI Taxonomy Browser]
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