The Marcgraviaceae are a neotropical angiosperm family in the order Ericales. The members of the family are shrubs, woody epiphytes, and lianas, with alternate, pinnately nerved leaves. The flowers are arranged in racemes. The flowers are accompanied by modified, fleshy, saccate bracts which produce nectar. The flowers are pentamerous. The fruits are capsules.

Genera

Norantea guianensis subsp. guianensis

The family has seven genera:

  • Marcgravia L. - (ca. 65 spp.): S Mexico, Mesoamerica, South America, Antilles[citation needed]
  • Marcgraviastrum (Wittm. ex Szyszył.) de Roon & S.Dressler - (15 spp.): S Nicaragua to Peru, Bolivia plus 2 spp. in E Brazil[citation needed]
  • Norantea Aubl - (2 spp.): Caribbean and Amazonian basin of NE South America[citation needed]
  • Ruyschia Jacq. - (9 spp.): Mesoamerica, N Andes, Lesser Antilles[citation needed]
  • Sarcopera Bedell - (ca. 10 spp.): Honduras to N Bolivia, Guiana Highlands[citation needed]
  • Schwartzia Vell. - (ca. 15 spp.): Costa Rica through the Andes south to Bolivia, in the Caribbean basin and 1 sp. in E Brazil[citation needed]
  • Souroubea Aubl. - (19 spp.): Mexico to Bolivia (absent from the Antilles)[citation needed]

There are 2 known subfamilies; Marcgravioideae (containing Marcgravia and Marcgraviastrum) and Noranteoideae (containing the rest of the genera).

Former genus include Pseudosarcopera (now listed as a synonym of Sarcopera).

Other sources

  • Bedell, H.G. 1989. Marcgraviaceae. In: Howard, R.A. (ed.). Flora of the Lesser Antilles 5: 300–310.
  • Dressler, S. 2000. Marcgraviaceae. In: Flora de República de Cuba, Ser. A, Fasc. 5: 1–14.
  • Dressler, S. 2001. Marcgraviaceae. In: Steyermark, J.A., P.E. Berry, K. Yatskievych & B.K. Holst (eds.), Flora of the Venezuelan Guayana vol 6, pp. 248–260. Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis.
  • Dressler, S. 2004. Marcgraviaceae. In: Kubitzki, K. (ed.). The Families and Genera of Vascular Plants. vol. 6, pp. 258–265. Springer-Verlag, Berlin.

External links

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