Coriaria is the sole genus in the familyCoriariaceae, which was described by Linnaeus in 1753.[3][5] It includes 14 species[6] of smalltrees,shrubs andsubshrubs, with a widespread butdisjunct distribution across warm temperate regions of the world, occurring as far apart as the Mediterranean region, southern and eastern Asia, New Zealand (where some are alpine species), the Pacific Ocean islands, and Central and South America.[4][7][8]
Theleaves are opposite or in whorls, simple, 2–9 centimetres (0.79–3.54 inches) long, without stipules. Theflowers are borne inracemes 2–30 cm long, each flower small, greenish, with five small petals. Thefruit is a small and shiny black (occasionally yellow or red)berry-like swollencorolla, highlypoisonous in several species, though those ofC. terminalis are edible. At least a few members of this genus arenon-legume nitrogen fixers.
The Mediterranean speciesC. myrtifolia is known asredoul, and the several New Zealand species are known by theMāori name oftutu.
The South American speciesC. ruscifolia is an evergreen climber known asdeu orhuique, and is used in southern Chile to make rat poison.
Coriariaceaefossils aspollen and seeds, are known from theMiocene of Europe.[12] The discovery of pollen grains from Early Campanian (ca. 82 Mya) deposits in Antarctica, which were described asCoriaripites goodii, expand the family’s fossil record and represent the so far oldest fossil of the order Cucurbitales.[13]
^Davidse, G., M. Sousa Sánchez, S. Knapp & F. Chiang Cabrera. 2014. Saururaceae a Zygophyllaceae. 2(3): ined. In G. Davidse, M. Sousa Sánchez, S. Knapp & F. Chiang Cabrera (eds.) Flora Mesoamericana. Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, México
