Malpighiaceae is a family of flowering plants in the order Malpighiales. It comprises about 71 genera and 1315 species, all of which are native to the tropics and subtropics. About 80% of the genera and 90% of the species occur in the New World (the Caribbean and the southernmost United States to Argentina) and the rest in the Old World (Africa, Madagascar, and Indomalaya to New Caledonia and the Philippines).
One useful species in the family is Malpighia emarginata, often called acerola. The fruit is consumed in areas where the plant is native. The plant is cultivated elsewhere for the fruit, which is rich in vitamin C.
Another member of the family, caapi or yagé (Banisteriopsis caapi), is used in the entheogenic brew known as ayahuasca.
One feature found in several members of this family, and rarely in others, is providing pollinators with rewards other than pollen or nectar; this is commonly in the form of nutrient oils (resins are offered by Clusiaceae).
Genera 71 genera are accepted.
Acmanthera Acridocarpus Adelphia Alicia Amorimia Aspicarpa (synonym Gaudichaudia ) Aspidopterys Banisteriopsis Barnebya Blepharandra Brachylophon Bronwenia Bunchosia Burdachia Byrsonima Calcicola Callaeum Camarea Carolus Caucanthus Chlorohiptage Christianella Coleostachys Cottsia Diacidia Dicella Digoniopterys Dinemandra (synonym Dinemagonum ) Diplopterys Echinopterys Ectopopterys Excentradenia Flabellaria Flabellariopsis Galphimia Glandonia Glicophyllum Heladena (synonym Henleophytum ) Heteropterys Hiptage Hiraea Janusia Jubelina Lasiocarpus Lophanthera Lophopterys Madagasikaria Malpighia Malpighiodes Mamedea Mascagnia Mcvaughia Mezia Microsteira Mionandra (synonyms Cordobia and Gallardoa ) Niedenzuella Peixotoa Philgamia Psychopterys Pterandra Ptilochaeta Rhynchophora Schwannia Spachea Sphedamnocarpus Stigmaphyllon Tetrapterys Thryallis Triaspis Tricomaria Tristellateia Verrucularina
References
Davis, C. C., and W. R. Anderson. 2010. A complete phylogeny of Malpighiaceae inferred from nucleotide sequence data and morphology. American Journal of Botany 97: 2031–2048. Michener, C. D. 2000. The Bees of the World. Johns Hopkins University Press. 913 pp. (p. 17-18) Vogel, S. 1974. Ölblumen und ölsammelnde Bienen. [Tropische und subtropische Pflanzenwelt. 7]. 267 pp.
External links
Malpighiaceae Malpighiaceae - description, taxonomy, phylogeny, literature, and nomenclature