Author:
Qjure
Book:
Qjurious
Type:
Info
Chapter:
3-652.14.00
Hamamelidaceae
English: Witch hazel family.
Region: subtropical regions and on the east coast of the USA as well as the east coast of Asia.
Botany
Shrubs and small trees
Leaves: alternate; often 2-ranked; stipules borne on stems.
Inflorescence: spikes, racemes or nonglobose heads.
Flowers: ovary half-inferior, with two carpels; multicellular stigma, with shallow papillae or ridges; anthers basifixed, shorter than in other families in the Saxifragales; petals narrow and ribbon-like; bisexual, andromonoecious.
Pollen: sticky; tricolpate, with reticulate exines.
Pollination: by insects or wind; Rhodoleia by birds.
Taxonomy
Hamamelidaceae was included in and gave the name to the Hammamelidae in the Cronquist system. Hammamelidae is shown to be polyphyletic. Most members have been placed in Fagales in the Apg3 classification. Hamamelidaceae is included in Saxifragales. Including Altingiaceae in Hamamelidaceae makes it polyphyletic. This is prevented by including Cercidiphyllaceae and Daphniphyllaceae also in Hamamelidaceae.
Paeoniacaeae is close to this extended Hamamelidaceae.
Plant theory
In the Plant theory Hamamelidaceae are treated as including Altingiaceae, Cercidiphyllaceae and Daphniphyllaceae, which is a monophyletic clade. It is placed in Subphase 4 in Saxifragales.
Hamamelis, the best known member, has a strong feeling of obvious respect; obvious indicating Phase 4, respect indicating Silver series.