| Bruniaceae | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Berzelia lanuginosa | |
Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Bruniales |
| Family: | Bruniaceae R.Br. exDC.[1] |
| Genera | |
See text | |
Bruniaceae is a family of shrubs native to the cape region ofSouth Africa. They are mostly restricted to theCape Province, but a small number of species occur inKwaZulu-Natal.[2]
Species belonging to the Bruniaceae are heath-like shrubs. They have small, hard, scaly leaves that are alternate but regularly set and overlapping. A distinct character is the minute black tip of the leaves when these are young. Theinflorescence is a dense spike or spherical flowerhead with up to 400 flowers at the end of the stems. Individual flowers are tube-shaped andhermaphrodite, there are five sepals which may be free or connected at their rim, while the ovary sits under the other parts of the flower. The fruit is dry when ripe, opens with two or four valves and contains fleshy seeds.[3]
In theAPG II taxonomy they are placed in the orderLamiales,[4] but a 2008 study suggested that they are sister to theColumelliaceae,[5] and theAngiosperm Phylogeny Website proposes incorporating this finding by placing both families in orderBruniales.[2]
There are twelve genera, totalling 77 species:[6]
| National | |
|---|---|
| Other | |
