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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
There are about 60 genera and 850 species worldwide
(tropics and subtropics, mainly America), with three genera and four species
native to southern Africa.
Genera indigenous 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), of which
one species, Acridocarpus natalitius, occurs in southern Africa.
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Sphedamnocarpus
Twelve species (tropical and subtropical Africa,
Madagascar, Mauritius), with one species, Sphedamnocarpus pruriens,
native to southern Africa. |
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Triaspis
This is an African genus of about 12 species with two
native to southern Africa. |
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Other genera, cultivated in southern Africa
List from Glen (2002).
Peixotoa
Peixotoa glabra is native to Brazil and is
cultivated in southern Africa. |
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Heteropteris
Heteropteris chrysophylla is native from Bolivia
to Brazil and is cultivated in southern Africa. |
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Stigmaphyllon
Stigmaphyllon ciliatum is indigenous to Trinidad
and Uruguay and is cultivated as a garden ornamental in southern Africa.
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Schwannia
Schwannia elegans is native from Paraguay through
to Brazil |
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Galphimia
Galphimia glauca (= Thryallis glauca)
from Brazil and Galphimia gracilis from Mexico are cultivated in
southern Africa as garden ornamental shrubs. |
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Malpighia (Acerola genus)
The Barbados cherry or Acerola Malpighia glabra (=
Malpighia punicifolia) is indigenous 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. |
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Publications
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Glen, H.F. 2002. Cultivated plants of
southern Africa. Jacana, Johannesburg.
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Archer, R.H. 2000. Malpighiaceae. In: Seed Plants of
Southern Africa (ed. O.A. Leistner). Strelitzia 10: 346.
National Botanical Institute, Pretoria.
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