e-Key v<span id="jodit_selection_marker_1705917079822_8295448796072098" data-jodit_selection_marker="start" style="line-height: 0; display: none;"></span>3 - *Aleu<span id="jodit_selection_marker_1705917079822_7161505036501881" data-jodit_selection_marker="end" style="line-height: 0; display: none;"></span>rites
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Interactive keys to the identification of seed plants of southern Africa using keys based on plant morphology.

Euphorbiaceae - Crotonoideae - Aleuritideae - *Aleurites J.R.Forst. & G.Forst.

Description:

  • Trees, indumentum stellate, silver; monoecious
  • Leaves alternate, simple, entire or palmately lobed, without glands in marginal sinuses between lobes, petiolate; stipules minute and fugacious
  • Inflorescences terminal, thyrsiform, androgynous, protogynous, with a solitary female flower terminating each major axis, lateral cymules male; bracts subulate, readily caducous
  • Male flowers: calyx valvate, 2- or 3-lobed; petals free, imbricate; disc 5-lobed; stamens 4-verticillate, ± 20, outer free, inner ± united, borne on a conical receptacle; anthers introrse; pistillode 0
  • Female flowers: calyx, petals and disc as in male flowers; ovary 2- or 3-locular, with 1 ovule per locule; styles 2 or 3, thick, bilobed
  • Fruit large, drupaceous, indehiscent, 2- or 3-locular or 1-locular by abortion; exocarp fleshy; endocarp thin, woody
  • Seeds ovoid, ecarunculate; testa thick, woody; albumen hard; embryo straight, embedded in copious endosperm; cotyledons broad, flat
  • x = 11 (polyploidy)

Nomenclature:

  • *Aleurites J.R.Forst. & G.Forst.
    • Forster & Forster: 111, t. 56 (1776)
    • Radcliffe-Smith: 176 (1987)
    • Webster: 114 (1994)
    • Radcliffe-Smith: 299 (1996)
    • Stuppy et al.: 79 (1999)

Distribution & Notes:

  • Global: Species 2 from tropical Asia and Oceania
  • Southern Africa: Species 1: *Aleurites mollucana (L.) Willd., Tungnut, cultivated in Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal in subtropical areas and may occur as escape

References:

  • FORSTER, J.R. & FORSTER, J.G.A. 1776. Characteres generum plantarum. London
  • RADCLIFFE-SMITH, A. 1987. Euphorbiaceae. Flora of tropical East Africa. Euphorbiaceae Part 1
  • RADCLIFFE-SMITH, A. 1996. Euphorbiaceae. Flora zambesiaca 9, 4
  • STUPPY, W., VAN WELZEN, P.C., KLINRATANA, P. & POSA, M.C.T. 1999. Revision of the genera Aleurites, Reutealis and Vernicia (Euphorbiaceae). Blumea 44
  • WEBSTER, G.L. 1994. Synopsis of the genera and suprageneric taxa of Euphorbiaceae. Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden 81

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