Capparaceae

The Capparaceae or Capparidaceae are a family of trees or shrubs of the order Brassicales. Previously the family was divided into 2 subfamilies, Capparoideae and Cleomoideae, which are no longer accepted today. Instead, the Cleomoideae were raised to the rank of family: the Cleomaceae.

Some 420 accepted species and infraspecific taxa, of the 1650 described, in warm countries.

Description

They are shrubs, shrubs, or trees, evergreen or deciduous, generally not thorny, glabrous or with pubescence of trichomes or scales. The stems are erect, little or very branched. The leaves are alternate and arranged in 2 spirally arranged rows, palmati compound. Its stipules, scaly or absent, are deciduous. They have petioles with thorns, their innervation is pinnate and their entire edges. The inflorescences, usually racemes - sometimes corymbs or solitary flowers, are axillary or terminal, without bracts. The flowers are bisexual - although they may appear unisexual in some cases, actinomorphic or slightly zygomorphic. They have 4 generally persistent sepals, and an equal number of petals attached directly to the receptacle. There are from 6 to 250 stamens; a uni-carpellate, bi-locular ovary with parietal placentation styled as a straight, short, bushy, lobed stigma. The fruits are capsules or berries, indehiscent or dehiscent by 2 valves. Seeds range from 8-32 to very many, usually brown or brown, occasionally green. They may or may not have an aril.

Tribes

• Cappareae, DC, 1824.
• Maerueae, Baill., 1871
• Cadabeae, Horan, 1847
• Apophylleae, F.Muell., 1857

Genres

The number of species in brackets corresponds to the accepted species.