Ebenaceae

The Ebenaceae (Ebenaceae) are a family of arboreal or shrubby plants belonging to the order Ericales. They are composed of almost 800 accepted specific and infraspecific taxa (about 60 in Euclea and 8 in Lissocarpa) - of the almost 2000 described, generally from tropical countries.

Description

They are trees or shrubs, generally dioecious, sometimes monoecious or polygamous. Leaves alternate or rarely opposite, simple, entire without stipules. Cymose inflorescences or solitary, axillary, actinomorphic flowers, the staminate ones with a vestigial ovary and the pistillate ones often with staminodes; calyx connate, 3–7-lobed, persistent and often accrescent in fruit; corolla of fused petals, 3–7-lobed, imbricated, with spiral or sometimes valvate preflowering; stamens inserted at base of corolla tube or receptacle, usually (1) 2 (–5) times the number of corolla lobes and in 2 whorls; anthers with longitudinal or sometimes poricidal dehiscence; gynoecium syncarpic, styles 2–8, fused for most of their length and appearing to be one or nearly free, ovary superior, (2) 3–8 (–10)-carpellate, each carpel often split into the middle and then the locules twice as many as the carpels, ovules 1 (2) per locule. Fruit a berry usually juicy to somewhat leathery or sometimes a capsule.

Subfamilies and genera

Ebenoideae (Gürke, in Engl. & Prantl, 1891) Thorne & Reveal, 2007

Godpyros L., 1753

Some 750 accepted taxa, of which the most important and/or known are:

• Godpyros buxifolia (Blume) Hiern, 1873
• Celebrity Godpyros Bakh, 1933
• Godpyros ebenum J.Koenig ex Retz., 1781
• Godpyros rooster Wallnöfer, 2000
• Godpyros kaki Thunb, 1780 non L.f., 1781
• Godpyros lotus L., 1753
• Malabaric Godpyros (Desr.) Kostel., 1834
• Godpyros melanoxylon Roxb, 1795
• Godpyros ottohuberi Wallnöfer, 2000
• Godpyros paraensis Sothers, 2003
• Godpyros rabiensis Breteler, 1994
• Godpyros rumphii Bakh, 1933
• Godpyros tepu Wallnöfer, 2000
• Godpyros virginiana L., 1753
• Godpyros xavantina Sothers, 2003

Euclea L., 1774

Lissocarpoideae (Gilg) B.Walln., 2004

Lissocarpa Benth, 1876

• Lissocarpa kating B.Walln., 2004
• Lissocarpa ronliesneri B.Walln., 2004
• Lissocarpa uyat B.Walln., 2004

Synonymy

• Lissocarpaceae