Violaceae

Violaceae
Viola banksii
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae Division: Magnoliophyta Class: Magnoliopsida Order: Malpighiales Family: Violaceae Batsch

Violaceae (alternatively Alsodeiaceae J.G.Agardh, Leoniaceae DC. and Retrosepalaceae Dulac) is a family of flowering plants consisting of about 800 species in 21 genera. It takes its name from the genus Viola, the violets and pansies.

Older classifications such as the Cronquist system placed Violaceae in an order named after it, the Violales. However, newer classifications such as that of the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group locate it in the Malpighiales.

Description

Though the best-known genus, Viola, is herbaceous, most species are shrubs or small trees. The simple leaves are alternate or opposite, often with leafy stipules or the stipules are reduced in size. Some species have palmate shaped leaves or deeply dissected leaves. Many species are acaulescent. Inflorescence with solitary flowers or paniculate like, some species have cleistogamous flowers produced after or before the production of typically petaled flowers. Flowers are bisexual or unisexual (e.g. Melicytus), typically zygomorphic or actinomorphic with a calyx of five sepals that are persistent after flowering. Corolla with 5 mostly unequal petals, the anterior petal larger and often spurred. Plants with five stamens with the abaxial stamen often spurred at the base. The gynoecium is a compound pistil of three united carpels with one locule. Styles simple, ovary superior, ovules many. The fruits are capsules splitting by way of three seams. Seeds with endosperm.

Taxonomy

Three subfamilies are recognized: the Violoideae, the Leonioideae and the Fusispermoideae.^{[citation needed]}

Subfamily Fusispermoideae

• Fusispermum Cuatrec.

Subfamily Leonioideae

• Leonia Ruiz & Pav.

Subfamily Violoideae

Tribe Rinoreeae

Subtribe Hymenantherinae

• Hymenanthera R.Br.
• Melicytus J.R.Forst. & G.Forst.

Subtribe Isodendriinae

• Isodendrion A.Gray

Subtribe Paypayrolinae

• Amphirrhox Spreng.
• Hekkingia Munzinger & H.E.Ballard
• Paypayrola Aubl.

Subtribe Rinoreinae

• Allexis Pierre
• Decorsella A.Chev. (including Gymnorinorea Keay)
• Gloeospermum Triana & Planch.
• Rinorea Aubl. (including Alsodeia Thouars, Phyllanoa Croizat, Scyphellandra Thwaites)
• Rinoreocarpus Ducke

Tribe Violeae

• Agatea A.Gray (included Agation Brongn.)
• Anchietea A.St.-Hil.
• Corynostylis Mart.
• Hybanthopsis Paula-Souza
• Hybanthus Jacq. (included Acentra Phil., Clelandia J.M.Black, Cubelium Raf. ex Britton & A.Br., Ionidium Vent., Pigea DC.)
• Mayanaea Lundell
• Noisettia Kunth
• Orthion Standl. & Steyerm.
• Schweiggeria Spreng.
• Viola L. (including Erpetion Sweet, Mnemion Spach

External links

• Violaceae in L. Watson and M.J. Dallwitz (1992 onwards). The families of flowering plants: descriptions, illustrations, identification, information retrieval. http://delta-intkey.com
• GRIN Database for the Violaceae
• Chilean Violaceae, by Chileflora