Abstract:
Connaraceae R.Br. comprise mostly woody climbers,
which climb by means of the winding ends of young
branches, less often shrubs or small trees, and rarely
rhizomatous shrublets. In the FSA-region, members are
recognized by alternate, exstipulate, imparipinnately
compound leaves, with transversely-ridged petioles;
entire leafl et margins and oblique bases (Cnestis); and
the actinomorphic, 5-merous fl owers with stamens of
two lengths. The usually single follicles are ± ridged
and swell to almost mature size well before the solitary,
black or red arillated seeds develop, with the ripe seeds
partly squeezed out of the follicle. Connaraceae are pantropical
in distribution, but mainly southern hemisphere,
with species occurring in both the Old and New World.
Members of the family can be found in lowland rain forest
or forest patches in savannas (Heywood 2007).
