e-Key <span id="jodit_selection_marker_1709026247179_11062538550184886" data-jodit_selection_marker="start" style="line-height: 0; display: none;"></span>v3 - Dichape<span id="jodit_selection_marker_1709026247179_8269259052056355" data-jodit_selection_marker="end" style="line-height: 0; display: none;"></span>talum
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Interactive keys to the identification of seed plants of southern Africa using keys based on plant morphology.

Dichapetalaceae - Dichapetalum Thouars

Description:

  • Trees, shrubs, or rhizomatous shrublets
  • Leaves often with glands at base; with 2 caducous stipules
  • Flowers regular, in axillary cymes or corymbs
  • Calyx 5-partite, with very short, campanulate tube; lobes equal or unequal
  • Petals 5, equal, free, inserted on calyx tube, as long as calyx, sometimes clawed, emarginate or 2-lobed
  • Disc of 5 free glands opposite petals or connate into a cup
  • Stamens 5
  • Ovary superior, 2- or 3(4)-locular; styles 1-3, free or connate, and 2- or 3(4)-lobed
  • Fruit a leathery drupe with 1-3 one-seeded free pyrenes
  • Seeds exalbuminous with thin testa
  • x = 12 (polyploidy)

Nomenclature:

  • Dichapetalum Thouars
    • Thouars: 23 (1806)
    • Torre: 319 (1963)
    • Breteler: 1 (1978)
    • Breteler: 1 (1982)
    • Breteler: 1 (1986)
  • Chailletia DC.
    • Candolle: 153 (1811)
    • Harvey: 450 (1860)

Distribution & Notes:

  • Global: Species 124, 86 in Africa, 38 in neotropics and Asian tropics
  • Southern Africa: Species 2, Namibia, Northern Province, Mpumalanga, Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal

Additional Notes:

  • Leaves and seeds of Dichapetalum cymosum (Hook.) Engl., Gifblaar, very poisonous as they contain fluoroacetic acid and pyridene alkaloids

References:

  • BRETELER, F.J. 1978. The African Dichapetalaceae VI. A taxonomic revision. Species c-f. Mededelingen Landbouwhogeschool Wageningen 72-10
  • BRETELER, F.J. 1982. The African Dichapetalaceae VIII. A taxonomic revision. Species r-z. Mededelingen Landbouwhogeschool Wageningen 82-8
  • BRETELER, F.J. 1986. The African Dichapetalaceae IX. A taxonomic revision. Agricultural University Wageningen papers 86-3
  • CANDOLLE, A.P. DE. 1811. Description du Chailletia nouveau genre de plantes. Annales d'histoire naturelle 17
  • HARVEY, W.H. 1860. Chailletiaceae. Flora capensis 1
  • THOUARS, L.-M. A. DU PETIT 1806. Genera nova madagascariensia. Paris
  • TORRE, A.R.1963. Dichapetalaceae. Flora zambesiaca 2

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