Etymology: Based on the genus Aphanopetalum Endl., from the Greek aphanes (invisible), and anthos (flower), in reference to the tiny flowers hidden among the leaves. Aphanopetalaceae are scrambling or climbing shrubs (often seen as woody vines) with prominently lenticellate stems, opposite leaves with minute "stipules", and axillary flowers. The flowers are 4-merous, with four large sepals that enlarge as the fruit develops, and the petals are minute or absent. The gynoecium is 4-carpellate, with a partly inferior ovary, and the fruit is nut-like and 1-seeded. Scrambling or climbing shrubs, glabrous throughout; nodes unilacunar. Stems with conspicuous raised lenticels. Leaves opposite, simple, shortly petiolate, lamina serrate or entire; stipules variously described as present and minute, or absent with minute colleters present on each side of the nodes. Flowers axillary, solitary or in cymes; pedicels with two medial prophylls; hypanthium short. Flowers actinomorphic, bisexual. Sepals 4, mostly free, imbricate in lower part, greatly enlarging as fruit develops, persistent, arranged in pairs at slightly different levels. Petals minute or absent (variable even in the same plant). Stamens 8; anthers dithecal, tetrasporangiate, basifixed, latrose-introrse, dehiscing by longitudinal slits. Gynoecium of 4 laterally fused carpels. Ovary one quarter to half-inferior, 4-locular, deeply 4-furrowed; style 4-lobed with 4 canals; stigmas terminal, densely papillate. Ovules 1 per locule; placentation axile. Fruit nut-like, 1-seeded, surrounded by persistent sepals. Seed reniform; embryo curved; endosperm fleshy. A family comprised of a single genus, Aphanopetalum with 2 species endemic to Australia. A. resinosum Endl. is found in rainforests in far eastern Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland, and A. clematideum Domin grows on riverbanks and hillsides in southwestern Australia (Dickison 1994; FloraBase). Angiosperm Phylogeny Group (2016). An update of the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group classification for the orders and families of flowering plants: APG IV. Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society 181(1): 1–20. Baines, J.A. (1981). Australian Plant Genera: an etymological dictionary of Australian plant genera. (Society for Growing Australian Plants: Chipping North). Bentham, G. (1864), Saxifrageae, pp. 435–450, in Flora Australiensis: a description of the plants of the Australian Territory Volume 2. Leguminosae to Combretaceae. (Lovell Reeve: London). Brummitt, R.K. (2007). Aphanopetalaceae, in Heywood, V.H., Brummitt, R.K., Culham, A. & Seberg, O., Flowering Plant Families of the World (Updated and revised), p. 34. (Firefly Books: Ontario, Canada). Cronquist, A.J. (1981). An Integrated System of Classification of Flowering Plants. (Columbia University Press: New York). Dahlgren, R.M.T. (1975). A system of classification of the angisoperms to be used to demonstrate the distribution of characters. Botaniska Notiser 128: 119–147. Dahlgren, R.M.T. (1980). A revised system of classification of the angiosperms. Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society 80(2): 91–124. Dickison, W.C. (1980). Comparative wood anatomy and evolution of the Cunoniaceae. Allertonia 2(5): 281–321. Dickison , W.C., Hils, H.M., Lugansky, T.W. & Stern, W.L. (1994). Comparative anatomy and systematic of woody Saxifragaceae. Aphanopetalum Endl. Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society 114: 167–182. Engler, A. (1928). Cunoniaceae, in Engler, H.G.A. (ed.), Die natürlichen Pflanzenfamilien edn 2, 18A: 229–262. (Wilhelm Engelmann: Berlin). FloraBase: the Western Australian Flora, https://florabase.dpaw.wa.gov.au/browse/photo/2989 [Accessed 13 July 2018] Kubitzki, K. (2007). Aphanopetalaceae, in Kubitzki, K. (ed.), The Families and Genera of Vascular Plants 9: 20–30. (Springer: Germany). Stevens, P.F. (2001 onwards). Angiosperm Phylogeny Website. Version 14, April 2015 [and more or less continuously updated since] http://www.mobot.org/MOBOT/research/APweb/ [Accessed 6 July 2018] Takhtajan, A.L. (1987). Systema magnoliophytorum. (Leningrad: Officina edit. “Nauka Leningradskaja”. (in Russian). Scrambling or climbing shrubs, glabrous throughout; nodes unilacunar. Stems with conspicuous raised lenticels. Leaves opposite, simple, shortly petiolate, lamina serrate or entire; stipules variously described as present and minute, or absent with minute colleters present on each side of the nodes. Flowers axillary, solitary or in cymes; pedicels with two medial prophylls; hypanthium short. Flowers actinomorphic, bisexual. Sepals 4, mostly free, imbricate in lower part, greatly enlarging as fruit develops, persistent, arranged in pairs at slightly different levels. Petals minute or absent (variable even in the same plant). Stamens 8; anthers dithecal, tetrasporangiate, basifixed, latrose-introrse, dehiscing by longitudinal slits. Gynoecium of 4 laterally fused carpels. Ovary one quarter to half-inferior, 4-locular, deeply 4-furrowed; style 4-lobed with 4 canals; stigmas terminal, densely papillate. Ovules 1 per locule; placentation axile. Fruit nut-like, 1-seeded, surrounded by persistent sepals. Seed reniform; embryo curved; endosperm fleshy. Aphanopetalaceae are scrambling or climbing shrubs (often seen as woody vines) with prominently lenticellate stems, opposite leaves with minute "stipules", and axillary flowers. The flowers are 4-merous, with four large sepals that enlarge as the fruit develops, and the petals are minute or absent. The gynoecium is 4-carpellate, with a partly inferior ovary, and the fruit is nut-like and 1-seeded. Angiosperm Phylogeny Group (2016). An update of the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group classification for the orders and families of flowering plants: APG IV. Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society 181(1): 1–20. Baines, J.A. (1981). Australian Plant Genera: an etymological dictionary of Australian plant genera. (Society for Growing Australian Plants: Chipping North). Bentham, G. (1864), Saxifrageae, pp. 435–450, in Flora Australiensis: a description of the plants of the Australian Territory Volume 2. Leguminosae to Combretaceae. (Lovell Reeve: London). Brummitt, R.K. (2007). Aphanopetalaceae, in Heywood, V.H., Brummitt, R.K., Culham, A. & Seberg, O., Flowering Plant Families of the World (Updated and revised), p. 34. (Firefly Books: Ontario, Canada). Cronquist, A.J. (1981). An Integrated System of Classification of Flowering Plants. (Columbia University Press: New York). Dahlgren, R.M.T. (1975). A system of classification of the angisoperms to be used to demonstrate the distribution of characters. Botaniska Notiser 128: 119–147. Dahlgren, R.M.T. (1980). A revised system of classification of the angiosperms. Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society 80(2): 91–124. Dickison, W.C. (1980). Comparative wood anatomy and evolution of the Cunoniaceae. Allertonia 2(5): 281–321. Dickison , W.C., Hils, H.M., Lugansky, T.W. & Stern, W.L. (1994). Comparative anatomy and systematic of woody Saxifragaceae. Aphanopetalum Endl. Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society 114: 167–182. Engler, A. (1928). Cunoniaceae, in Engler, H.G.A. (ed.), Die natürlichen Pflanzenfamilien edn 2, 18A: 229–262. (Wilhelm Engelmann: Berlin). FloraBase: the Western Australian Flora, https://florabase.dpaw.wa.gov.au/browse/photo/2989 [Accessed 13 July 2018] Kubitzki, K. (2007). Aphanopetalaceae, in Kubitzki, K. (ed.), The Families and Genera of Vascular Plants 9: 20–30. (Springer: Germany). Stevens, P.F. (2001 onwards). Angiosperm Phylogeny Website. Version 14, April 2015 [and more or less continuously updated since] http://www.mobot.org/MOBOT/research/APweb/ [Accessed 6 July 2018] Takhtajan, A.L. (1987). Systema magnoliophytorum. (Leningrad: Officina edit. “Nauka Leningradskaja”. (in Russian). A family comprised of a single genus, Aphanopetalum with 2 species endemic to Australia. A. resinosum Endl. is found in rainforests in far eastern Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland, and A. clematideum Domin grows on riverbanks and hillsides in southwestern Australia (Dickison 1994; FloraBase). Etymology: Based on the genus Aphanopetalum Endl., from the Greek aphanes (invisible), and anthos (flower), in reference to the tiny flowers hidden among the leaves.General Information
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Diagnostic Description
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Morphology
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Distribution
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Literature
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Flora of Australia
Morphology
