| Cyrillaceae | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Cyrilla racemiflora in Myrtle Beach, SC | |
Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Ericales |
| Family: | Cyrillaceae Lindl.[1] |
| Genera | |
TheCyrillaceae are a smallfamily offlowering plants in the orderEricales, native to warm temperate to tropical regions of theAmericas. The family comprises two genera,Cliftonia andCyrilla, each containing a single species,[2]Cliftonia monophylla andCyrilla racemiflora. However, additional species ofCyrilla are now often recognized and the genus is in need of taxonomic revision.
In the past, many botanists included a third genus,Purdiaea, in the family, though recent research has shown this genus is better placed in the closely related familyClethraceae.[3]
FossilCyrilla andCliftonia leaves, wood andpollen have been reported from theNeogeneLower Rhine regionbrown coal. Leaf fragments ofCyrilla have been found frequently in brown coals ofcentral Europe. The Cyrillaceae formed part of theTertiarybog flora where they constituted an important component of the shrubby vegetation. Among fossilCyrilla from theTertiary ofEurope is †Cyrilla thomsonii described from theMiocene of Librar,Germany and theBełchatów,Poland. †Cyrilla hungarica described from theMiocene ofMagyaregregy inHungary.[4]
