|
Family: Malpighiaceae Life
> eukaryotes >
Archaeoplastida >
Chloroplastida
>
Charophyta > Streptophytina > Plantae (land plants)
> Tracheophyta (vascular plants) > Euphyllophyta > Lignophyta (woody plants)
> Spermatophyta (seed plants) > Angiospermae (flowering
plants) > Eudicotyledons > Core Eudicots > Rosids >
Eurosid I > Order: Malpighiales
Sixty-eight genera and 1250 species worldwide (tropics and
subtropics, mainly America), with four genera and 10 species
native to southern Africa. An additional six genera and seven species are
cultivated in the region.
Genera native to southern Africa
List from Archer (2000).
Acridocarpus
About 30 species (tropical and subtropical Africa, plus a
single species in Madagascar and another species in New Caledonia); one
species, Acridocarpus natalitius,
native to southern Africa.
|
|
Caucanthus
Three species, distributed in the African tropics, with one Caucanthus
auriculatus occurring in southern Africa (Zimbabwe and Mozambique). |
|
Sphedamnocarpus
Twelve species (tropical and subtropical Africa,
Madagascar, Mauritius), with two species, Sphedamnocarpus galphimiifolius
and
Sphedamnocarpus pruriens [=
Sphedamnocarpus angolensis],
native to southern Africa. |
 |
Triaspis
This is an African genus of about 12 species, with six
native to southern Africa. |
 |
Other genera, cultivated in southern Africa
List from Glen (2002). Species is listed for genera with
only one species represented in the region.
Galphimia
Galphimia glauca (= Thryallis glauca)
from Brazil and Galphimia gracilis from Mexico are cultivated in
southern Africa as garden ornamental shrubs. |
 |
Heteropteris chrysophylla
Native from Bolivia
to Brazil. |
|
Malpighia glabra (Barbados
cherry, Acerola) [=
Malpighia punicifolia]
The Barbados cherry or Acerola Malpighia (=
) is native from Mexico to South America and is
cultivated for its fruit in southern Africa. The fruit is high in vitamin C
and is used in jams and syrups. |
|
Peixotoa glabra
Native to Brazil. |
|
Schwannia elegans
Native from Paraguay to Brazil |
|
Stigmaphyllon ciliatum
Native to Trinidad
and Uruguay and cultivated as a garden ornamental.
|
|
Publications
-
Glen, H.F. 2002. Cultivated plants of
southern Africa. Jacana, Johannesburg.
-
Archer, R.H. 2000. Malpighiaceae. In: Seed Plants of
Southern Africa (ed. O.A. Leistner). Strelitzia 10: 346.
National Botanical Institute, Pretoria.
|
