Maytenus Molina

Celastraceae, N. K. Robson. Flora Zambesiaca 2:2. 1966

Morphology General Habit

Trees, shrubs or rhizomatous shrublets, erect or scrambling or sarmentose or rarely scandent, rarely with latex, glabrous to ± pubescent; branches terete to lined or angular, sometimes ending in a spine, frequently condensed to form short shoots.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves spiral or fasciculate (on short shoots), entire or with margin denticulate, petiolate; stipules free, small, caducous or absent.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescence pedunculate or sessile, dichasial to monochasial or fasciculate, many- to few-flowered, single in axils of foliage leaves or in clusters on short shoots, or rarely in axils of bracts forming “panicles”; bracts persistent.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers bisexual or unisexual with ± well-developed staminodes and pistillode, pedicellate, with pedicels articulated.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Sepals (4)5(6), unequal or equal, imbricate, ± united, with margin entire or ciliolate.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Petals (4)5(6), white to yellow or sometimes green or red, imbricate in bud, spreading.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Disc

Disk intrastaminal, single, convex to shallowly concave, entire or shallowly (4)5–10(12)-lobed or -angled.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Stamens (4)5(6), with filaments thin or flattened, free or united with the base of the disk; anthers versatile or sub-basifixed, introrse, usually reddish if sterile, with separate thecae dehiscing longitudinally.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil

Ovary superior, sessile, almost free or up to 1/2-immersed in the disk, 2–3(4)-locular, with 2 erect collateral ovules in each loculus; style short or ± elongated, cylindric, simple; stigma 2–3(4)-branched.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit capsular, coriaceous or woody to papyraceous or somewhat fleshy, without emergences, dehiscing loculicidally to the base.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds 1–6(8), glossy, red-brown, with yellow or more rarely white or purple aril forming a fleshy basal cupule or a partial or complete thin covering, with or without fleshy endosperm.

M. Thulin et al. Flora of Somalia, Vol. 1-4 [updated 2008] https://plants.jstor.org/collection/FLOS

Morphology General Habit

Shrubs or trees, glabrous to pubescent, mostly dioecious; branches round, lined to angled, usually with spines

Morphology Leaves

Leaves alternate, or clustered on short shoots, entire to serrate; stipules free, falling quickly, or absent

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Flowers mostly functionally unisexual with staminodes in female and pistillodes in male flowers, or bisexual Inflorescences pedunculate or sessile, cymose, solitary or clustered in axils of leaves or on branches; pedicels articulated; bracts persistent

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Sepals 5(–6), imbricate in bud, entire to fimbriate, sometimes ciliolate

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Petals 5(–6), imbricate in bud, entire to toothed

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Disc

Disk intrastaminal, often 5–10-lobed

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Stamens 5(–6) with filaments attached to the base of the disk; anthers introrse, with 2 thecae dehiscing longitudinally

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary

Ovary superior, 1/4–3/4 immersed in the disk; style with 2–3(–4) stigma lobes (may appear capitate on pistillode)

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit a loculicidal capsule, obconic to globose or pear-shaped

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds 1–4(–8), glossy, redddish brown to orange; aril white, yellow or purple (mostly white when young), basally or partially to completely covering the seed.

Distribution

About 180 species in the tropics and subtropics.

George R. Proctor (2012). Flora of the Cayman Isands (Second Edition). Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

Morphology General Habit

Shrubs or small trees, mostly glabrous; leaves alternate, coriaceous, entire or serrate; stipules minute and soon falling

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers small, polygamous or rarely functionally unisexual and the plants dioecious, axillary and solitary, clustered, or in small cymes

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Stamens inserted outside and below the disc, with ovate-cordate anthers; disc round with wavy margin

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary

Ovary immersed in the disc and confluent with it, 2–4-locular; style absent or very short; ovules 1 or 2 in each cell, erect

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit a hard, 1–3-locular capsule, 2–3- valved; seeds more or less enclosed by a thin aril; endosperm fleshy or apparently none.

Distribution

Tropical American genus of perhaps 70 species, the majority in S. America.

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/44829/10951982

Conservation

VU - vulnerable