Hamamelidaceae
Encyclopedia
The Hamamelidaceae is a family of flowering plant
s in the order Saxifragales
, including 27 genera and about 80-90 species, all shrub
s and small tree
s. In older classifications such as the Cronquist system
, the family was treated in a separate order Hamamelidales
.
Genera
Some authors treat Rhodoleia
in a family of its own, the Rhodoleiaceae, though genetic research by the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group
shows it is best included in the Hamamelidaceae. Rhodoleia is unusual in being bird-pollinated.
The genera Altingia
, Liquidambar (sweetgum) and Semiliquidambar
, previously included in the Hamamelidaceae, are now treated in the family Altingiaceae
.
Flowering plant
The flowering plants , also known as Angiospermae or Magnoliophyta, are the most diverse group of land plants. Angiosperms are seed-producing plants like the gymnosperms and can be distinguished from the gymnosperms by a series of synapomorphies...
s in the order Saxifragales
Saxifragales
Saxifragales is an order of flowering plants. Their closest relatives are a large eudicot group known as the rosids by the definition of rosids given in the APG II classification system. Some authors define the rosids more widely, including Saxifragales as their most basal group. Saxifragales is...
, including 27 genera and about 80-90 species, all shrub
Shrub
A shrub or bush is distinguished from a tree by its multiple stems and shorter height, usually under 5–6 m tall. A large number of plants may become either shrubs or trees, depending on the growing conditions they experience...
s and small tree
Tree
A tree is a perennial woody plant. It is most often defined as a woody plant that has many secondary branches supported clear of the ground on a single main stem or trunk with clear apical dominance. A minimum height specification at maturity is cited by some authors, varying from 3 m to...
s. In older classifications such as the Cronquist system
Cronquist system
The Cronquist system is a taxonomic classification system of flowering plants. It was developed by Arthur Cronquist in his texts An Integrated System of Classification of Flowering Plants and The Evolution and Classification of Flowering Plants .Cronquist's system places flowering plants into two...
, the family was treated in a separate order Hamamelidales
Hamamelidales
Hamamelidales is the botanical name of an order of flowering plants. The Cronquist system included the order in subclass Hamamelidae with the circumscription:* order Hamamelidales*: family Hamamelidaceae*: family Cercidiphyllaceae...
.
Genera
- Chunia (1 species; HainanHainanHainan is the smallest province of the People's Republic of China . Although the province comprises some two hundred islands scattered among three archipelagos off the southern coast, of its land mass is Hainan Island , from which the province takes its name...
) - CorylopsisCorylopsisCorylopsis is a genus of nearly 30 species of shrubs in the witch hazel family, Hamamelidaceae, native to eastern Asia with the majority of species endemic in China but with some also in Japan, Korea, and the Himalaya...
(Winter-hazel; about 30 species; east AsiaAsiaAsia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
) - Dicoryphe
- Disanthus (1 species; east Asia)
- Distyliopsis
- DistyliumDistyliumDistylium is a genus of about 18 species of evergreen shrubs and trees in the witch hazel family Hamamelidaceae, native to eastern and southeastern Asia.Selected species*Distylium buxifolium - China...
(about 10 species; east AsiaEast AsiaEast Asia or Eastern Asia is a subregion of Asia that can be defined in either geographical or cultural terms...
, Himalayas) - Embolanthera
- Eustigma
- ExbucklandiaExbucklandiaExbucklandia is a genus of flowering plants in the family Hamamelidaceae. They are medium to large trees whose natural range is from eastern India through southern China and southward through the Malay Peninsula. In India and China, they are widely cultivated for their impressive foliage and...
(3 species; AssamAssamAssam , also, rarely, Assam Valley and formerly the Assam Province , is a northeastern state of India and is one of the most culturally and geographically distinct regions of the country...
, ChinaChinaChinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, southeast Asia) - Fortunearia (1 species; eastern ChinaChinaChinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
) - FothergillaFothergillaFothergilla is a genus of two or three species of flowering plants in the family Hamamelidaceae, native to the southeastern United States.They are deciduous shrubs growing to 1–3 m tall with downy twigs...
(Fothergilla; 3 species; southeastern U.S.United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
) - HamamelisWitch-hazelWitch-hazel is a genus of flowering plants in the family Hamamelidaceae, with three species in North America , and one each in Japan and China...
(Witch-hazel; 4 species; eastern North AmericaNorth AmericaNorth America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
, east AsiaAsiaAsia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
) - †Langeria (WolfeJack A. WolfeJack Albert Wolfe was an American paleontologist best known for his studies of Tertiary climate in western North America through analysis of fossil angiosperm leaves.-External links:...
) & WehrWesley C. WehrWesley Conrad Wehr was an American paleontologist and artist best known for his studies of Tertiary fossil floras in western North America, the Stonerose Interpretive Center, and as a part of the Northwest School of art.-Early life:...
) EoceneEoceneThe Eocene Epoch, lasting from about 56 to 34 million years ago , is a major division of the geologic timescale and the second epoch of the Paleogene Period in the Cenozoic Era. The Eocene spans the time from the end of the Palaeocene Epoch to the beginning of the Oligocene Epoch. The start of the...
1 species - LoropetalumLoropetalumLoropetalum is a genus of 3 species of shrub in the witch-hazel family, Hamamelidaceae, native to China, Japan, and south-eastern Asia.The name Loropetalum refers to the shape of the flowers and comes from the Greek loron meaning strap and petalon meaning petal. Flowers are produced in clusters...
(2 species; east Asia) - MaingayaMaingayaMaingaya is a monotypic genus of plant containing the sole species Maingaya malayana. It is endemic to Malaysia. It is threatened by habitat loss.-Source:* Chua, L.S.L. 1998. . Downloaded on 22 August 2007....
- MatudaeaMatudaeaMatudaea is a genus of plant in family Hamamelidaceae. It contains the following species :* Matudaea trinervia, Lundell...
- MolinadendronMolinadendronMolinadendron is a genus of the Hamamelidaceae family, order Saxifragales, containing three reported species: Molinadendron guatemalense, Molinadendron hondurense, and Molinadendron sinaloense. Relatives include Witch-hazel and Winter-hazel....
- Mytilaria
- Neostrearia
- Noahdendron
- Ostrearia
- ParrotiaParrotiaParrotia persica is a deciduous tree in the family Hamamelidaceae, the sole species in the genus Parrotia but closely related to the genus Hamamelis...
(Persian Ironwood; 1 species; Alborz MountainsAlborzAlborz , also written as Alburz, Elburz or Elborz, is a mountain range in northern Iran stretching from the borders of Azerbaijan and Armenia in the northwest to the southern end of the Caspian Sea, and ending in the east at the borders of Turkmenistan and Afghanistan...
of southwest AsiaAsiaAsia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
) - Parrotiopsis (1 species; Himalaya)
- RhodoleiaRhodoleiaRhodoleia is a genus of plant in family Hamamelidaceae. Together with its sister genus Exbucklandia, Rhodoleia forms the sister clade to the other 25 genera of Hamamelidaceae. Flowers of Rhodoleia are bird-pollinated...
(about 7 species; southeast Asia) - SinowilsoniaSinowilsoniaSinowilsonia is a monotypic genus of plant containing the single species Sinowilsonia henryi. It is endemic to China. It is threatened by habitat loss.-Source:* World Conservation Monitoring Centre 1998. . Downloaded on 23 August 2007....
(1 species; western China) - Sycopsis (about 7 species; southeast Asia)
- TetrathyriumTetrathyriumTetrathyrium is a genus of plant in family Hamamelidaceae.There are two species:* Tetrathyrium simaoense* Tetrathyrium subcordatum...
- TrichocladusTrichocladusTrichocladus is a genus of plant in family Hamamelidaceae.Species include:* Trichocladus crinitus, Pers.* Trichocladus dentatus, Hutch.* Trichocladus ellipticus, Eckl...
Some authors treat Rhodoleia
Rhodoleia
Rhodoleia is a genus of plant in family Hamamelidaceae. Together with its sister genus Exbucklandia, Rhodoleia forms the sister clade to the other 25 genera of Hamamelidaceae. Flowers of Rhodoleia are bird-pollinated...
in a family of its own, the Rhodoleiaceae, though genetic research by the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group
Angiosperm Phylogeny Group
The Angiosperm Phylogeny Group, or APG, refers to an informal international group of systematic botanists who came together to try to establish a consensus on the taxonomy of flowering plants that would reflect new knowledge about plant relationships discovered through phylogenetic studies., three...
shows it is best included in the Hamamelidaceae. Rhodoleia is unusual in being bird-pollinated.
The genera Altingia
Altingia
Altingia is a genus of 11 species of flowering plants in the family Altingiaceae, formerly often treated in the related family Hamamelidaceae. The genus is native to southeastern Asia, in Bhutan, Cambodia, southern China, India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam...
, Liquidambar (sweetgum) and Semiliquidambar
Semiliquidambar
Semiliquidambar is a genus of plants, most recently treated in family Altingiaceae, though previously often treated in Hamamelidaceae. Recent research suggests that it may not be a true genus, but that the species normally treated within it are hybrids of other species of Altingiaceae; the taxonomy...
, previously included in the Hamamelidaceae, are now treated in the family Altingiaceae
Altingiaceae
Altingiaceae, a small family of flowering plants in the order Saxifragales, are wind-pollinated trees that produce hard, woody fruits containing numerous seeds. The fruits have been studied in considerable detail. They naturally occur in Central America, Mexico, eastern North America, the...
.