Lardizabalaceae

Vines [small trees or shrubs], woody, evergreen or deciduous. Stems without spines. Leaves alternate; stipules absent [except in Lardizabala]; petioles present. Leaf blade palmately compound [pinnately compound or 1-3-ternate]. Inflorescences axillary, racemes, occasionally solitary flowers, flowers pedicellate. Flowers unisexual, staminate and pistillate on same plants in same or different inflorescences [staminate and pistillate on different plants or flowers bisexual, staminate, and pistillate], showy, 3-merous; sepaloid bracteoles absent; sepals 3-6, distinct, usually petaloid, not spurred; petals absent [6; nectary present]. Staminate flowers: stamens 6(-8), distinct [proximally connate]; anthers with 2 pollen sacs, extrorse, dehiscing longitudinally; pistillodes sometimes present. Pistillate flowers: staminodes sometimes present; pistils 3-15 in 1-5 whorls of 3 each, 1-carpellate, 1-locular; placentation submarginal or laminar; ovules 100-several hundred [1-20]; stigma 1, sessile to nearly sessile. Fruits aggregates of berries or of fleshy follicles (sometimes only 1 pistil maturing). Seeds [1-]100-several hundred, never stalked; aril absent; endosperm abundant; embryo small, straight.

Distribution

North America, South America, Asia.

Discussion

Genera ca. 8, species ca. 30 (1 genus, 1 species in the flora).

Lardizabalaceae have a disjunct distribution. Two of the genera–Decaisnea and Lardizabala–are found in Chile; the others are Asiatic (Himalayas to Vietnam, Japan, and Korea).

Selected References

Ernst, W. R. 1964. The genera of Berberidaceae, Lardizabalaceae, and Menispermaceae in the southeastern United States. J. Arnold Arbor. 45: 1-35.

Matthews, V. A. 1989. Lardizabalaceae. In: S. M. Walters et al., eds. 1984+. The European Garden Flora. 3+ vols. Cambridge etc. Vol. 3, pp. 396-398.

Prantl, K. 1888. Lardizabalaceae. In: H. G. A. Engler and K. Prantl, eds. 1887-1915. Die natürlichen Pflanzenfamilien.... 254 fasc. Leipzig. Fasc. 19[III,2], pp. 67-70.

Spongberg, S. A. and I. H. Burch. 1979. Lardizabalaceae hardy in temperate North America. J. Arnold Arbor. 60: 302-315.

Lower Taxa

Akebia

Illustrations

	Family ⠉	Taxon	Illustrator ⠉
	Berberidaceae Lardizabalaceae Menispermaceae	Jeffersonia diphylla Akebia quinata Calycocarpum lyonii	John Myers John Myers John Myers