Tropicos | Name - Quiinaceae Choisy ex Engl.

Quiinaceae Choisy ex Engl.

Flora Data (Last Modified On 9/19/2013)

Family	QUIINACEAE
Contributor	W. G. D'ARCY
Description	Trees or shrubs, sometimes clambering; phloem with copious mucilage. Leaves opposite or verticillate, simple, entire, serrate or lobed, sometimes on the same plant, often coriaceous, often with a characteristic satiny sheen; stipules entire or lobed. Inflorescences of small clusters of axillary dichasia or of terminal spikes or racemes; bracts and sometimes bracteoles mostly present. Flowers small, unisexual or perfect; calyx of 4-5 valvate free sepals; petals 4-8; stamens free or basally united, the filaments short, slender, the stamens sometimes with a broad connective; carpels 2-13, each locule with 2 axile, anatropous ovules, the styles free. Fruit baccate, globose, often 1 locular; putamen hard, sometimes dehiscent; seeds mostly several-numerous, felty tomentose; embryo straight with a short hypocotyl and thick cotyledons.
Habit	Trees or shrubs
Note	The Quiinaceae includes about 4 genera with about 50 species
Distribution	South America except for 2 or 3 species in Central America and the Antilles.
Note	This family is similar in some respects to the Guttiferae but differs in its wood anatomy, in having a different kind of mucilaginous or resin duct, and in its hairy seeds. It is often allied with the Theaceae or Cunoniaceae.