| Barbeya | |
|---|---|
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Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Rosales |
| Family: | Barbeyaceae Rendle[1] |
| Genus: | Barbeya Schweinf. ex Penzig |
| Species: | B. oleoides |
| Binomial name | |
| Barbeya oleoides | |
Barbeya is the onlygenus in thefamilyBarbeyaceae, and has only onespecies,Barbeya oleoides. It is a small tree native to the mountains ofSomalia,Ethiopia, and theArabian Peninsula. It can be found locally abundant in the transition zone between the dry, evergreen,Afromontane forests and lower-elevation evergreen bushlands.
Barbeya oleoides has opposite, oblong-lanceolate, simple leaves with entire margins. Plants aredioecious, with male and female flowers on separate trees.[2]
The family Barbeyaceae is closely related to its ecological associate on theHorn, the familyDirachmaceae. Evidence on the molecular level has demonstrated this despite obvious morphological differences between the two families such as Barbeya having small,unisexual, petallessflowers, while the flowers of Dirachmaceae are characterized by theirbisexuality, and their relatively largepetals (and size in general).[3]
