Botany: ± 24 genera; ± 150 species; trees, shrubs and lianas; tropics; some epiphytic.
TaxonomyIcacinaceae is a family that is difficult to define in taxonomy. It was circumscribed quite broadly. In 2001
Icacinaceae was found to be polyphyletic, one of the most unnatural assemblages of disparate groups, like
Flacourtiaceae. Formerly
Icacinaceae have been included in
Olacaceae,
Santalales,
Celastrales, Thelaes or
Cornales.
In the
Apg3 classification Icacinaceae is placed in
Lamiidae.
Icacinaceae was split into four families in three different orders:
Icacinaceae sensu stricto, which is connected to Garryales,
Pennantiaceae placed in
Apiales,
Stemonuraceae and
Cardiopteridaceae placed in
Aquifoliales.
Metteniusaceae and Oncothecaceae are closely related to
Icacinaceae.
In the
Plant theory Icacinaceae is tentatively placed in
Cornales, due to its relationships with Garryales and
Cornales and being diverse and difficult to define and place.
Icacinaceae is placed in
Subphase 7, due to being epiphytic and its similarity with
Olacaceae,
Santalales.
FamiliesMetteniusaceae: 1 genus, Metteniusa; combination of exstipulate, entire leaves and pentalacunar nodes; flowers, petals are spreading and hairy adaxially and each long, locellate and sometimes bright orange anther theca becomes broadly recurved in a semicircle; locelli in four rows, opening separately; gynoecium is paracarpous; placentation is parietal; Metteniusa fits quite comfortably into
Cardiopteridaceae, without
Icacinaceae; similar to Oncothecaceae; flowers of Metteniusa suggest
Cornales; ovary is superior; South America.
Oncothecaceae: 1 genus, Oncotheca; New Caledonia.
Genera: Alsodeiopsis; Casimirella; Chlamydocarya; Desmostachys; Hosiea; Icacina; Iodes; Lavigeria; Leretia; Mappia; Mappianthus; Merrilliodendron; Miquelia; Natsiatopsis; Natsiatum; Nothapodytes; Phytocrene; Pittosporopsis; Pleurisanthes; Polycephalium; Polyporandra; Pyrenacantha; Rhyticaryum; Sarcostigma; Sleumeria.
Uncertain: Stachyanthus; Cassinopsis; Emmotum; Oecopetalum; Ottoschulzia; Poraqueiba; Calatola; Platea; Apodytes; Rhaphiostylis.