Phyllanthus is the largest genus in the plant family Phyllanthaceae. Estimates of the number of species in this genus vary widely, from 750 to 1200. Phyllanthus has a remarkable diversity of growth forms including annual and perennial herbs, shrubs, climbers, floating aquatics, and pachycaulous succulents. Some have flattened leaflike stems called cladodes. It has a wide variety of floral morphologies and chromosome numbers and has one of the widest range of pollen types of any seed plant genus.
Phyllanthaceae is a family of flowering plants in the eudicot order Malpighiales. It is most closely related to the family Picrodendraceae.
The family Pandaceae consists of three genera that were formerly recognized in the Euphorbiaceae. Those are:
Celianella is a genus of plants belonging to the family Phyllanthaceae first described in 1965. It has only one known species, Celianella montana, native to Guyana and to southern Venezuela. It is dioecious, with male and female flowers on separate plants.
Leptopus, the maidenbushes, are a genus of plants in the family Phyllanthaceae native to southern Asia from the Caucasus east to China and Maluku. The plants are monoecious herbs and shrubs with simple, entire leaves and small, green flowers.
Martretia is a genus of plants in the family Phyllanthaceae first described as a genus in 1907. It contains only one known species, Martretia quadricornis, native to western and central Africa from Sierra Leone to Zaire. It is dioecious, with male and female flowers on separate plants.
Leptonema is a genus of flowering plant belonging to the family Phyllanthaceae first described in 1824. The entire genus is endemic to Madagascar. It is dioecious, with male and female flowers on separate plants.
- Leptonema glabrum(Leandri) Leandri
- Leptonema venosum(Poir.) A.Juss.
Thecacoris is a genus of flowering plant belonging to the family Phyllanthaceae first described as a genus in 1821. It is native to tropical Africa and Madagascar. It is dioecious, with male and female flowers on separate plants, although it may rarely be monoecious.
Aporosa is a genus of flowering plant belonging to the family Phyllanthaceae, first described as a genus in 1825. It is native to China, the Indian Subcontinent, Southeast Asia, Papuasia, and Queensland.
Ashtonia is a genus of flowering plant belonging to the family Phyllanthaceae first described as a genus in 1968. It is native to the Malay Peninsula and Borneo. It is dioecious, with male and female flowers on separate plants.
- Ashtonia excelsa Airy Shaw - Borneo
- Ashtonia praeterita Airy Shaw - S Thailand, W Malaysia
Baccaurea is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the family Phyllanthaceae. The genus comprises 51 species, distributed from India to Indochina, southern China, Malesia, New Guinea, and the West Pacific. It is dioecious, with male and female flowers on separate plants. Many species contain edible fruits.
Distichirhops is a genus of flowering plant belonging to the family Phyllanthaceae. The genus comprises 3 species, found in the secondary forests of New Guinea and Borneo. The taxon name comes from Greek, referring to its distichous leaf arrangement and shrubby habit.
Nothobaccaurea is a genus of flowering plant belonging to the family Phyllanthaceae, first described as a genus in 2000. It is native to various islands in the Pacific. The genus is named for its false resemblance with Baccaurea. Like Baccaurea, it is dioecious, with male and female flowers on separate plants.
Richeria is a genus of flowering plant belonging to the family Phyllanthaceae first described as a genus in 1797. It is native to Central America, South America, and the West Indies. Richeria is dioecious, with male and female flowers on separate plants.
- Richeria australis - São Paulo, Mato Grosso
- Richeria dressleri - Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Panama, Ecuador
- Richeria grandis - Panama, N South America, E West Indies
- Richeria obovata - Costa Rica to Bolivia
- Richeria tomentosa - Colombia, Ecuador
Didymocistus is a genus of plants in the family Phyllanthaceae first described as a genus in 1940. It contains only one known species, Didymocistus chrysadenius, native to the Loreto region of northeastern Peru, the Amazonas Department of southeastern Colombia, and the State of Amazonas in northwestern Brazil. It is dioecious, with male and female flowers on separate plants.
Hymenocardia is a genus of trees in the family Phyllanthaceae first described as a genus in 1836. Most of the species are native to Africa, with one in Southeast Asia.
Keayodendron is a genus of plants in the family Phyllanthaceae first described as a genus in 1959. It contains only one known species, Keayodendron bridelioides, native to tropical western and Central Africa. It is dioecious, with male and female flowers on separate plants.
Gonatogyne is a genus of plants in the family Phyllanthaceae first described as a genus in 1873. It contains only one known species, Gonatogyne brasiliensis, endemic to southeastern Brazil. It is dioecious, with male and female flowers on separate plants.
Lachnostylis is a genus of the family Phyllanthaceae first described as a genus in 1846. It is native to the Eastern Cape and the Western Cape Provinces of South Africa. It is often included in Savia. It is dioecious, with male and female flowers on separate plants.
- Lachnostylis bilocularisR.A.Dyer
- Lachnostylis hirta(L.f.) Müll.Arg.
Poranthereae is a tribe in the plant family Phyllanthaceae. It is one of ten tribes in the family, and one of four tribes in the subfamily Phyllanthoideae. Poranthereae comprises about 111 species, distributed into eight genera. The largest genera and the number of species in each are Actephila (31), Meineckia (30), and Andrachne (22).
