Broussonetia
Content
Description
Trees (or climbers), dioecious, unarmed, deciduous, shoot apices shed, with (small) axillary scaled resting buds.
Leaves distichous, spirally arranged or (sub)opposite;
stipules free, semi-amplexicaul.
Inflorescences unisexual, usually solitary in the leaf axils or on leafless nodes at the base of fertile twigs, bracteate.
stamens 4, inflexed in the bud.
ovary free, stigmas 2, one of them strongly reduced;
fruit usually short-stipitate and slightly compressed, exocarp fleshy, for the greater part rather thinly so, thicker at the base and on the seed-bearing side;
seed with endosperm, embryo curved, cotyledons unequal or almost equal, subconduplicate to almost flat, straight or the apex reflexed, not enclosing the long radicle, or if the cotyledons unequal, then the larger cotyledon more or less clasping the smaller one;
Distribution
Madagascar present, tropical to subtropical Asia present
A genus of eight species, seven in tropical to subtropical Asia, and one in Madagascar.
Taxonomy
Two sections (Broussonetia and Allaeanthus) have been recognised by Corner (). As he indicated, the differences between these sections are very small, and are not maintained in the present treatment.
Citation
Boerl. 1900 – In: Handl. Fl. Ned. Ind.: 316
H.L. Li 1963: Woody Fl. Taiwan: 112
C.C. Berg 1977 – In: Bull. Jard. Bot. Belg.: 355
Corner 1962 – In: Gard. Bull. Singapore 19: 233
Bureau 1873 – In: A.DC., Prodr. 17: 222
Ohwi 1965: Fl. Japan, new ed: 383
Engl. 1888 – In: Engl. & Prantl, Nat. Pflanzenfam. 3: 76
Baill. 1875 – In: Hist. Pl.: 192
Benth. & Hook.f. 1880 – In: Gen. Pl.: 361
Blume 1856 – In: Ann. Mus. Bot. Lugduno-Batavi: 85
Bureau 1873 – In: A.DC., Prodr. 17: 223
Benth. & Hook.f. 1880 – In: Gen. Pl.: 361
Engl. 1888: p. 74. – In: Engl. & Prantl, Nat. Pflanzenfam. 3: (‘Allacanthus’)
Boerl. 1900 – In: Handl. Fl. Ned. Ind.: 317