Dulongiaceae J.G. Agardh
~ Grossulariaceae
Including Phyllonomaceae Rusby, Phyllonomataceae J.K Small
Habit and leaf form. Trees, or shrubs. Leaves alternate; simple; not peltate. Lamina entire; acuminate. Leaves stipulate. Stipules caducous (small, fringed). Lamina margins entire, or serrate.
Stem anatomy. Secondary thickening developing from a conventional cambial ring.
Reproductive type, pollination. Plants hermaphrodite.
Inflorescence, floral, fruit and seed morphology. Flowers aggregated in inflorescences; in fascicles. The terminal inflorescence unit cymose. Inflorescences epiphyllous; cymose false umbels. Flowers small (green); regular; (4)5 merous; cyclic.
Perianth with distinct calyx and corolla; 8, or 10; 2 whorled; isomerous. Calyx (4)5; 1 whorled; polysepalous; regular; open in bud. Corolla (4)5; 1 whorled; polypetalous; valvate; regular; green.
Androecium (4)5. Androecial members free of the perianth; all equal; free of one another; 1 whorled. Androecium exclusively of fertile stamens. Stamens (4)5; isomerous with the perianth; alternating with the corolla members; shortly filantherous. Anthers small, bilobed. Pollen grains aperturate; 23 aperturate; colpate, or colporate (colporoidate).
Gynoecium 2 carpelled. Carpels reduced in number relative to the perianth. The pistil 1 celled. Gynoecium syncarpous; synovarious; inferior. Ovary 1 locular. Epigynous disk present (intrastaminal, large, pulvinate). Gynoecium stylate. Styles 2; free; apical; shorter than the ovary (very short, divaricate). Stigmas 2. Placentation parietal. Ovules in the single cavity 50100 (many); biseriate.
Fruit fleshy; indehiscent; a berry (incompletely bilocular); 36 seeded. Seeds endospermic. Testa rugose.
Physiology, biochemistry. Polyacetylenes not found. Aluminium accumulation demonstrated.
Geography, cytology. Neotropical. Tropical. Mexico to Peru.
Taxonomy. Subclass Dicotyledonae; Tenuinucelli. Dahlgrens Superorder Corniflorae; Cornales (?). Cronquists Subclass Rosidae; Rosales. APG (1998) Eudicot; core Eudicot; Asterid; Euasterid II; Aquifoliales (as Phyllonomaceae). Species 8. Genera 1; only genus, Phyllonoma (Dulongia Kunth).
Description very inadequate.
Cite this publication as: ‘L. Watson and M. J. Dallwitz (1992 onwards). The Families of Flowering Plants: Descriptions, Illustrations, Identification, and Information Retrieval. Version: 14th December 2000. http://biodiversity.uno.edu/delta/’. Dallwitz (1980), Dallwitz, Paine and Zurcher (1993, 1995, 2000), and Watson and Dallwitz (1991) should also be cited (see References).