Vochysiaceae

Vochysiaceae is a plant family belonging to the order Myrtales.

Description

Trees or shrubs with opposite leaves; flowers are zygomorph 1-(3)-5 merous; ovary inferior or superior; one fertile stamen; fruits samara or capsules.

Biogeography

Seven of the nine genera are native to the Neotropics. The genera Erismadelphus and Korupodendron are native to West and Central Africa.

Evolutionary history

The family likely originated in South America. Erismadelphus is thought to have diverged from Erisma approximately 30 million years ago, and traveled to Africa as the result of long-distance dispersal.

Systematics

Vochysiaceae are closest to Myrtaceae.<ref>Conti, E., A. Litt, P.G. Wilson, S.A Graham, B.G. Briggs, L.A.S. Johnson, K.J. Sytsma. 1997. Interfamiliar relationships in Myrtales: molecular phylogeny and patterns of morphological evolution. Systematic Botany 22: 629-647</ref> Vochysiaceae consist of 9 genera with about 250 species.<ref name = powo/> The family is classified into two tribes:

Tribe Erismeae : one inferior ovary and winged fruits

• Erisma Template:Small (21 species)
• Erismadelphus Template:Small (2 species)
• Korupodendron Template:Small (1 species)

Tribe Vochysieae: three fused superior ovaries and capsule fruits

• Callisthene Template:Small (8 species)
• Qualea Template:Small (53 species)
• Mahechadendron Template:Small (1 species)
• Ruizterania Template:Small (14 species)
• Salvertia Template:Small (1 species)
• Vochysia Template:Small (148 species)

The genus Euphronia, previously included in Vochysiaceae, is unrelated and now stands alone in the family Euphroniaceae, more closely related to the family Chrysobalanaceae.

References

• Family of Vochysiaceae link APWebsite. (engl.)
• Amy Litt & Dennis W. Stevenson: Floral development and morphology of Vochysiaceae. I. The structure of the gynoecium in American Journal of Botany, 90, 2003, S. 1533-1547: Online.
• M. L. Kawasaki: Vochysiaceae, S. 480–487 in Klaus Kubitzki: The Families and Genera of Vascular Plants, Volume 9, Flowering Plants - Eudicots, Springer Berlin, Heidelberg, 2007, Template:ISBN.
• F. Carnevale Neto et al.: Vochysiaceae: secondary metabolites, ethnopharmacology and pharmacological potential, "Phytochemistry Reviews" (Print), v. 10, p. 413-429, 2011, DOI: 10.1007/s11101-011-9213-5.