| Adoxaceae | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Adoxa moschatellina | |
Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Dipsacales |
| Family: | Adoxaceae E.Mey.[1] |
| Type genus | |
| Adoxa L. | |
| Genera | |
Adoxaceae, commonly known asmoschatel family,[2] is a small family offlowering plants in the orderDipsacales, now consisting of five genera and about 150–200 species. They are characterised byopposite toothedleaves, small five- or, more rarely, four-petalledflowers in cymose inflorescences, and thefruit being adrupe. They are thus similar to manyCornaceae.
In older classifications, this entire family was part ofCaprifoliaceae, thehoneysuckle family.Adoxa (moschatel) was the first plant to be moved to this new group. Much later, the generaSambucus (elders) andViburnum were added after careful morphological analysis and biochemical tests by theAngiosperm Phylogeny Group. An additional monotypic genusSinadoxa has been added based on molecular comparison withAdoxa.
Recent sources, including the Angiosperm Phylogeny Website, treat this family asViburnaceae Raf.,nom. cons.[3][4]
Adoxa is a small perennialherbaceous plant, flowering early in the spring and dying down to ground level in summer immediately after the berries are mature; the leaves are compound.
The elders are mostlyshrubs, but two species are large herbaceous plants; all have compound leaves. The viburnums are all shrubs, with simple leaves.
Media related toAdoxaceae at Wikimedia Commons
