 | This articleneeds additional citations forverification. Please helpimprove this article byadding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "Garryaceae" – news ·newspapers ·books ·scholar ·JSTOR(September 2014) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
| Garryaceae | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Garrya elliptica foliage and catkins | |
Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Garryales |
| Family: | Garryaceae Lindl.[1] |
| Genera | |
Garryaceae is a smallfamily of plants known commonly as thesilktassels.[2] It contains two genera:[2]
Aucuba was included in the familyCornaceae or Aucubaceae in some classification systems.[2]
Together withEucommia ulmoides the Garryaceae are currently placed by theAngiosperm Phylogeny Group in an own order, theGarryales.
Petroselinic acid occurs as the major fatty acid inAucuba andGarrya species, and is also found in the familiesGriseliniaceae,Apiaceae andAraliaceae of theApiales.[3]
The family is found in warm temperate and subtropical regions,Garrya inNorth America, andAucuba in easternAsia. They areevergreenshrubs or smalltrees with opposite, simpleleaves. While they are different in morphology, the two genera have similar phytochemistries and can be intergrafted.[2]
