Olax | |
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Olax imbricata | |
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Order: | Santalales |
Family: | Olacaceae |
Genus: | Olax L. (1753) [1] [2] |
Synonyms [3] | |
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Olax is a plant genus in the family Olacaceae. It includes 52 species native to the tropics of South America, Africa, Asia, and Australia. [3] The name derives from the Latin, olax (malodorous), and refers to the unpleasant scent of some of the Olax species. [4] Olax is an Old World genus represented by several climbers, some species have leaves and fruits smelling of garlic such as Olax subscorpioidea and Olax gambecola , seeds of the latter are used as condiments in parts of West Africa. In India Olax nana is well known as one of the first species to emerge after forest fires, the shoots growing directly from buried roots. [5]
The type species is O. zeylanica . [4] According to Plants of the World Online [3] the genus contains the following 52 species:
The Santalaceae, sandalwoods, are a widely distributed family of flowering plants which, like other members of Santalales, are partially parasitic on other plants. Its flowers are bisexual or, by abortion, unisexual. Modern treatments of the Santalaceae include the family Viscaceae (mistletoes), previously considered distinct.
Dracaena is a genus of about 120 species of trees and succulent shrubs. The formerly accepted genera Pleomele and Sansevieria are now included in Dracaena. In the APG IV classification system, it is placed in the family Asparagaceae, subfamily Nolinoideae. It has also formerly been separated into the family Dracaenaceae or placed in the Agavaceae.
Ochna is a genus comprising 79 species of evergreen trees, shrubs and shrublets belonging to the flowering plant family Ochnaceae. These species are native to tropical woodlands of Africa, Madagascar, the Mascarenes and Asia. Species of this genus are usually called ochnas, bird's-eye bushes or Mickey-mouse plants, a name derived from the shape of the drupelet fruit. The name of this genus comes from the Greek word ὄχνη (ókhnē), used by Theocritus and meaning "wild pear", as the leaves are similar in appearance. Some species, including Ochna integerrima and O. serrulata, are cultivated as decorative plants.
Myrica is a genus of about 35–50 species of small trees and shrubs in the family Myricaceae, order Fagales. The genus has a wide distribution, including Africa, Asia, Europe, North America and South America, and missing only from Australia. Some botanists split the genus into two genera on the basis of the catkin and fruit structure, restricting Myrica to a few species, and treating the others in Morella.
Plumbago is a genus of 23 species of flowering plants in the family Plumbaginaceae, native to warm temperate to tropical regions of the world. Common names include plumbago and leadwort.
Protium is a genus of more than 140 species of flowering plants in the family Burseraceae. It is native to the Neotropics from northern Mexico to Paraguay and southern Brazil, and to Madagascar, the Indian subcontinent, Indochina, southern China, the Philippines, Java, and New Guinea. The genus had been included in Bursera, but is distinct.
Alsodeiopsis Oliver is a genus of plants in the family Icacinaceae native to tropical Africa. There are about 11 species. Seventeen species names have been published in Alsodeiopsis, but many of these are synonyms. The type species, Alsodeiopsis mannii was named by Daniel Oliver in 1869.
Capparis is a genus of flowering plants in the family Capparaceae. It includes 142 species of shrubs or lianas which are collectively known as caper shrubs or caperbushes. Capparis species occur over a wide range of habitat in the subtropical and tropical regions of Africa, Eurasia, Australasia, and the Pacific.
Xylopia is a genus of flowering plants in the family Annonaceae. They are mostly trees and some shrubs. There are about 160 species distributed in Asia, Africa, and the Americas.
Dichapetalum is a genus in the plant family Dichapetalaceae. The plants are tropical lianas native mainly to tropical regions of Africa, Asia, Malesia, the West Indies, Australia and Latin America. Some species are known to be poisonous due to the presence of toxic fluorinated compounds such as fluorocarboxylic acid and dichapetalins, a unique class of cytotoxic compounds that are only found within this genus.
Iodes is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the family Icacinaceae.
Zanthoxyloideae is a subfamily of the family Rutaceae.