Combretaceae
Combretaceae R.Br., Prodr. 351. 1810. nom. cons. 'Combretum Family'
Characteristic Features:
Trees, shrubs and lianas
Leaves simple, estipulate, alternate or opposite
Ovules 4-6 in single locule, suspended from the locule apex by slender funiculi
Fruits often drupaceous and winged
Diversity:
World- 17 genera 480 species (The Plant List 2013); 10 genera, 530 species (Christenhusz & Byng 2016); 14 genera, 500 species (Mabberely 2017); 10 genera, 577 species (CoL 2021)
India - 8 genera 48 species (Karthikeyan 2000); 5 genera, 46 species (BSI, 2021)
Indian Himalaya- 5 genera, 20 species (Singh et al. 2019)
Uttarakhand - 4 genera 9 species (Uniyal et al. 2007)
General Characters:
Combretaceae in POWO 2021 (Plants of the World Online)
Combretaceae in Wikipedia
Systematic Position of the Family in Different Systems of Classifications:
Systematic position in 2-Superkingdom, 7-Kingdom classification of Ruggiero et al. (2015)
Super Kingdom- Eukaryota, Kingdom- Plantae, Subkingdom- Viridiplantae, Infrakingdom- Streptophyta, Superphylum- Embryophyta, Phylum- Tracheophyta, Subphylum- Spermatophytina, Superclass- Angiospermae, Class- Magnoliopsida, Superorder-Rosanae, Order-Myrtales
Bentham & Hooker (1862-83)
Class : Dicotyledons
Subclass: Polypetalae
Series : Calyciflorae
Orders : Myrtales
Engler & Prantl (1887-1915)
Kingdom : Plantae
Division : Embryophyta Siphonogama
Subdivision: Angiospermae
Class : Dicotyledoneae
Subclass : Archichlamydeae
Order : Myrtiflorae
Hutchinson (1973)
Phylum : Angiospermae
Subphylum: Dicotyledones
Division : Lignosae
Order : Myrtales
Cronquist (1988)
Division : Magnoliophyta
Class : Magnoliopsida
Subclass : Rosidae
Order : Myrtales
Thorne & Reveal (2007)
Class : Magnoliopsida
Subclass : Rosidae
Super Order: Myrtanae
Order : Myrtales
Takhtajan (2009)
Phylum : Magnoliophyta
Class : Magnoliopsida
Subclass : Rosidae
Super Order: Myrtanae
Order : Myrtales
Reveal (2012)
Class : Equisetopsida
Subclass : Magnoliidae
Super Order: Myrtanae
Order : Myrtales
Suborder : Onagrineae
APG-IV (2016)
Clade : Angiosperms
Clade : Eudicots
Clade : Core Eudicots
Clade : Superrosids
Clade : Rosids
Clade : Malvids
Order : Myrtales
Shipunov (2016)
Class : Angiospermae
Subclass : Rosidae
Super Order: Malvanae
Order : Myrtales
Suborder : Onagrineae
Genera & Species in Pantnagar
To see larger images please click on the names
~~~Wild Flora~~~
Terminalia arjuna (Roxb. ex DC.) Wight & Arn.
Terminalia bellirica (Gaertn.) Roxb.
Terminalia chebula Retz.
***Cultivated Flora***
Combretum indicum (L.) DeFilipps.
Vernacular name: Rangoon Creeper, Chinese honeysuckle (English); Madhu Malati (Hindi)
Nativity:Tanzania, Tropical and Subtropical Asia to Australia (POWO, 2019)
Common Characteristics: Large lianas. Leaves simple, opposite or subopposite, oblong- elliptic. Inflorescence axillary compact spikes. Flowers with long perianth tube, red to pinkish.
Flowering period: Almost throughout the year
Propagation Methods: Grown by cuttings (Dave’s Garden)
Photographed @ CT