Moschatel family |
The
moschatel (Adoxa
moschatellina)
gave the family its name
Inflorescence of the black elder
In the late 80's two other adoxaceae were discovered and described by C. Y. Wu in China: Sinadoxa corydalifolia and Tetradoxa omeiensis.
Adoxaceae s. str.
The Adoxaceae s. str. (s. str. = sensu stricto = in the narrow sense) or Adoxaceae E. Mey. are herbaceous perennial plants with pinnate leaves, that are between 5 and 15 cm high. They always have exactly 2 opposite stem leaves.
The flowers are usually arranged in a 5-flowered, cubic head. The apical flower possesses 4 petals, 2 sepals, 4 stamens and 4 styles. The lateral flowers consist of 5 petals, 3 sepals, 5 stamens and 5 pistils. The petals are always greenish and the stamens are deeply divided. The stone fruits are single-seeded or contain 3–5 seeds.
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Adoxaceae s. l.
Molecular systematical and morphological studies, as well as comparisons of the ingredients have shown in the past, that the three species of Adoxaceae s. str. are closely related with elder (Sambucus) and snowball (Viburnum). As a result, the family now consists of 5 genera with about 200 species, which are represented mainly in the northern hemisphere, but they also can penetrate into the tropical mountains.
The Adoxaceae s. l. (s. l. = sensu lato = in the broad sense) or Adoxaceae Wu, Fu, Hua, Ke, are shrubs, small trees or perennial herbs. The simple or compound leaves are arranged opposite.
The hermaphrodite flowers are gathered in terminal panicles or they are arranged in umbels, spikes or heads. The 3–5 petals and sepals are connected, there are 3–5 stamens and the inferior to half-inferior ovary consists of 3–5 carpels. The stone fruits contain 1–5 seeds.
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