Family Profile

Celastraceae

Family Description

A family of about 92 genera and 1350 species, worldwide; 15 genera occur naturally in Australia.

Genera

Celastrus - A genus of 30 or more species, pantropic; two species occur naturally in Australia. Jessup (1984).

Denhamia - A genus of nine or ten species endemic to Australia. Jessup (1984).

Elaeodendron - A genus of about 80 species, mainly in the tropics and subtropics particularly in Africa; two species occur naturally in Australia. Jessup (1984) under Cassine.

Euonymus - A genus of about 180 species, pantropic, well developed in Asia; two species occur naturally in Australia. Hou (1975); Jessup (1984).

Gymnosporia - A genus of about 100 species in the tropics and subtropics, particularly Africa; one species occurs naturally in Australia. Jordaan & Wyk (1999).

Hedraianthera - A genus of two species endemic to Australia. Jessup (1984).

Hexaspora - A monotypic genus endemic to Australia. Jessup (1984).

Hippocratea - A genus of about 100 species, pantropic extending into the subtropics; one species occurs naturally in Australia. Jessup (1984).

Hypsophila - A genus of two species endemic to Australia. Jessup (1984).

Lophopetalum - A genus of about 20 species in Asia, Malesia and Australia; one species occurs naturally in Australia. Byrnes (1971); Jessup (1984).

Maytenus - A genus of about 200 species, pantropic; about nine species occur naturally in Australia. Jessup (1984).

Pleurostylia - A genus of about six species in Africa, Madagascar, Asia, Malesia, Australia and New Caledonia; one species occurs naturally in Australia. Jessup (1984).

Salacia - A genus of about 150 species; pantropic; three species occur naturally in Australia. Jessup (1984).

Siphonodon - A genus of about seven species in SE Asia, Malesia and Australia; three species occur naturally in Australia. Jessup (1984).

References

Byrnes, N.B. (1971). A new species of Lophopetalum (Celastraceae), a genus new for Australia. Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales 96:67-69.

Ding Hou (1975). A new species of Euonymus (Celastraceae) from Australia. Blumea 22:271-274.

Jessup, L.W. (1984). Hippocrateaceae. In 'Flora of Australia.' Vol. 22, pp. 180-184.

Jessup, L.W. (1984). Celastraceae. In 'Flora of Australia.' Vol. 22, pp. 150-180.

Jordaan, M. & Wyk, A.E. van (1999). Systematic studies in subfamily Celastroideae (Celastraceae) in southern Africa: reinstatement of the genus Gymnosporia. South African Journal of Botany. 65:177-181.