The Celastraceae (staff-vine or bittersweet) are a family of 97 genera and 1,350 species of herbs,

vine A vine (Latin ''vīnea'' "grapevine", "vineyard", from ''vīnum'' "wine") is any plant with a growth habit of trailing or scandent (that is, climbing) stems, lianas or runners. The word ''vine'' can also refer to such stems or runners themselv ...

shrub A shrub (often also called a bush) is a small-to-medium-sized perennial woody plant. Unlike herbaceous plants, shrubs have persistent woody stems above the ground. Shrubs can be either deciduous or evergreen. They are distinguished from trees ...

s and small

tree In botany, a tree is a perennial plant with an elongated stem, or trunk, usually supporting branches and leaves. In some usages, the definition of a tree may be narrower, including only woody plants with secondary growth, plants that are ...

s, belonging to the order

Celastrales The Celastrales are an order of flowering plants found throughout the tropics and subtropics, with only a few species extending far into the temperate regions. The 1200"Lepidobotryaceae", "Parnassiaceae", and "Celastraceae" In: Klaus Kubitzki (ed ...

. The great majority of the

genera Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below family. In binomial nomenclat ...

are

tropical The tropics are the regions of Earth surrounding the Equator. They are defined in latitude by the Tropic of Cancer in the Northern Hemisphere at N and the Tropic of Capricorn in the Southern Hemisphere at S. The tropics are also referred to ...

, with only ''Celastrus'' (the staff vines), ''Euonymus'' (the spindles) and ''Maytenus'' widespread in

temperate In geography, the temperate climates of Earth occur in the middle latitudes (23.5° to 66.5° N/S of Equator), which span between the tropics and the polar regions of Earth. These zones generally have wider temperature ranges throughout t ...

climates, and ''

Parnassia The genus ''Parnassia'', also known as grass of Parnassus or bog-stars, are plants now placed in the family Celastraceae, formerly classified in Parnassiaceae or Saxifragaceae. The plants occur in arctic and alpine habitats, as well as in dune ...

'' (bog-stars) found in alpine and arctic climates. Of the 97 currently recognized genera of the family Celastraceae, 19 are native to Madagascar and these include at least 57 currently recognized species. Six of these 19 genera ('' Brexiella'', '' Evonymopsis'', '' Hartogiopsis'', ''

Polycardia ''Polycardia'' is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the family Celastraceae The Celastraceae (staff-vine or bittersweet) are a family of 97 genera and 1,350 species of herbs, vines, shrubs and small trees, belonging to the order Celast ...

'', ''

Ptelidium ''Ptelidium'' is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the family Celastraceae The Celastraceae (staff-vine or bittersweet) are a family of 97 genera and 1,350 species of herbs, vines, shrubs and small trees, belonging to the order Celastra ...

'', and ''

Salvadoropsis ''Salvadoropsis'' is a monotypic genus of flowering plants belonging to the family Celastraceae. It only contains one known species, ''Salvadoropsis arenicola'' H.Perrier It is native to Madagascar. Description ''Salvadoropsis arenicola'' is a ...

'') are endemic to Madagascar.

Genera

A complete list of the genera is: * ''

Acanthothamnus ''Acanthothamnus'' is a Monotypic taxon, monotypic genus in the family ''Celastraceae'' which contains only the species ''Acanthothamnus aphyllus''. The genus is sometimes known by the unaccepted synonym ''Scandivepres'' and its natural range spa ...

'' * ''

Allocassine ''Allocassine'' is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the family Celastraceae The Celastraceae (staff-vine or bittersweet) are a family of 97 genera and 1,350 species of herbs, vines, shrubs and small trees, belonging to the order Celas ...

'' * '' Anthodon'' * '' Apatophyllum'' * ''

Apodostigma ''Apodostigma'' is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the family Celastraceae. Its native range is Tropical Africa Although tropical Africa is mostly familiar to the West for its rainforests, this biogeographic realm of Africa is far ...

'' * ''

Arnicratea ''Arnicratea'' is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the family Celastraceae. Its native range is Tropical Asia Tropical Asia refers to the entirety of the areas in Asia with a tropical climate. These areas are of geographic and econom ...

'' * ''

Bequaertia ''Bequaertia'' is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the family Celastraceae. Its native range is Tropical Africa Although tropical Africa is mostly familiar to the West for its rainforests, this biogeographic realm of Africa is far m ...

'' * '' Brassiantha'' * ''

Brexia ''Brexia'' is a plant genus assigned to the Celastraceae. It is a dense evergreen shrub or small tree of usually around 5 m high, with alternately set, simple, leathery leaves with a short leaf stem and lanceolate to inverted egg-shaped ...

'' * '' Brexiella'' * '' Campylostemon'' * '' Canotia'' – crucifixion thorn * '' Cassine'' * '' Catha'' –

khat Khat or qat ( ''ch’at''; Oromo: ''Jimaa'', so, qaad, khaad, khat or chat, ar, القات ''al-qāt'') is a flowering plant native to eastern and southern Africa. Khat contains the alkaloid cathinone, a stimulant, which is said to cause e ...

* ''

Celastrus ''Celastrus'', commonly known as staff vine, staff tree or bittersweet, is a genus in the family Celastraceae which comprises about 30-40 species of shrubs and vines. They have a wide distribution in East Asia, Australasia, Africa, and the Amer ...

'' – staff vine or staff tree * '' Cheiloclinium'' * '' Crocoxylon'' * '' Crossopetalum'' * ''

Cuervea ''Cuervea'' is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the family Celastraceae. Its native range is Tropical America, Western Tropical Africa to Angola. Species: *''Cuervea crenulata'' *''Cuervea hawkesii'' *''Cuervea integrifolia'' *''Cue ...

'' * ''

Denhamia ''Denhamia'' is a genus of plants within the family Celastraceae, with species in Australia and New Caledonia. The species inhabit a variety of environments, from rainforest to semi-arid savanna. All species grow as shrubs or small trees up to 10 ...

'' * '' Dicarpellum'' * ''

Dinghoua ''Dinghoua globularis'' is a species of flowering plant belonging to the family Celastraceae. It is a shrub or tree native to northern Queensland. It is the sole species in genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biolo ...

'' * '' Elachyptera'' * ''

Elaeodendron ''Elaeodendron'' is a genus of flowering plants in the staff vine family, Celastraceae. Selected species * ''Elaeodendron australe'' Vent. * ''Elaeodendron croceum'' (Thunb.) DC. * ''Elaeodendron curtipendulum'' Endl. * ''Elaeodendron glaucum'' ...

'' * '' Empleuridium'' * ''

Euonymus ''Euonymus'' is a genus of flowering plants in the staff vine family, Celastraceae. Common names vary widely among different species and between different English-speaking countries, but include spindle (or spindle tree), burning-bush, strawb ...

'' – spindle * '' Evonymopsis'' * '' Fraunhofera'' * '' Gloveria'' * '' Glyptopetalum'' * '' Goniodiscus'' * ''

Gyminda ''Gyminda'' (false box) is a genus of flowering plants in the family Celastraceae The Celastraceae (staff-vine or bittersweet) are a family of 97 genera and 1,350 species of herbs, vines, shrubs and small trees, belonging to the order Celastr ...

'' * ''

Gymnosporia ''Gymnosporia'' is an Old World genus of plants, that comprise suffrutices, shrubs and trees. It was formerly considered congeneric with ''Maytenus'', but more recent investigations separated it based on the presence of achyblasts (truncated bra ...

'' * ''

Hartogiella ''Hartogiella'' is a genus of flowering plants within the family Celastraceae. It contains one species, ''Hartogiella schinoides'' (known as the spoonwood or smalblad), a medium-sized tree from the southern Western Cape The Western Cape is ...

'' * '' Hartogiopsis'' * '' Hedraianthera'' * '' Helictonema'' * '' Hexaspora'' * ''

Hippocratea ''Hippocratea'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Celastraceae, usually lianas, native to tropical and subtropical North America, South America and Africa. Species Currently accepted species include: *''Hippocratea myriantha'' Oliv. ...

'' * '' Hylenaea'' * '' Hypsophila'' * ''

Kokoona ''Kokoona'' is a genus of plants in the family Celastraceae The Celastraceae (staff-vine or bittersweet) are a family of 97 genera and 1,350 species of herbs, vines, shrubs and small trees, belonging to the order Celastrales. The great majori ...

'' * ''

Lauridia ''Lauridia'' is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the family Celastraceae. Its native range is Southern Africa. Species: *''Lauridia reticulata'' *''Lauridia tetragona'' References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q16217980 Celastraceae Celast ...

'' * ''

Lepuropetalon ''Lepuropetalon'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Celastraceae. Before it was placed in the family when it was defined by the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group's APG III system in 2009, it had been placed with ''Parnassia'' in the family ...

'' * '' Loeseneriella'' * '' Lophopetalum'' * '' Lydenburgia'' * '' Macgregoria'' * ''

Maurocenia ''Maurocenia frangula'' (commonly known as Khoi cherry or vulture-berry) is a small, rounded tree of about 4 metres, that is endemic to the Western Cape, South Africa. Description It has small, fragrant, dioecious flowers, cherry-sized edible ...

'' * ''

Maytenus ''Maytenus'' ''Sunset Western Garden Book,'' 1995:606–607 is a genus of flowering plants in the family Celastraceae. Members of the genus are distributed throughout Central and South America, Southeast Asia, Micronesia and Australasia, the Indi ...

'' – maiten * '' Menepetalum'' * ''

Microtropis ''Microtropis'' is a genus of plant in family Celastraceae. There are about 70 species. They are trees and shrubs, evergreen or deciduous, with oppositely arranged leaves and white or yellowish flowers.Monimopetalum'' * '' Mortonia'' * '' Moya'' * ''

Mystroxylon ''Mystroxylon'' is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the family Celastraceae The Celastraceae (staff-vine or bittersweet) are a family of 97 genera and 1,350 species of herbs, vines, shrubs and small trees, belonging to the order Celast ...

'' * ''

Nicobariodendron ''Nicobariodendron'' is a genus in the family Celastraceae, with only one species, ''Nicobariodendron sleumeri'', a tree with simple, alternately set, entire leaves, small flowers and single seed fleshy fruits. It is only known from the Nicobar ...

'' * '' Orthosphenia'' * ''

'' * '' Paxistima'' * '' Peripterygia'' * ''

Peritassa ''Peritassa'' is a genus of plants in the family Celastraceae The Celastraceae (staff-vine or bittersweet) are a family of 97 genera and 1,350 species of herbs, vines, shrubs and small trees, belonging to the order Celastrales. The great majo ...

'' * '' Plagiopteron'' * '' Platypterocarpus'' * ''

Plenckia ''Plenckia'' is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the family Celastraceae. It is native to Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay and north-western Argentina. The genus name of ''Plenckia'' is in honour of Joseph Jakob Plenck (1735–1807), an Austr ...

'' * ''

Pleurostylia ''Pleurostylia'' is a small genus of shrubs in the family Celastraceae The Celastraceae (staff-vine or bittersweet) are a family of 97 genera and 1,350 species of herbs, vines, shrubs and small trees, belonging to the order Celastrales. The g ...

'' * ''

Pottingeria ''Pottingeria'' is a genus consisting of a single species, ''Pottingeria acuminata'', a small tree or large shrub native to mountainous areas of southeast Asia (Assam, Myanmar, and Thailand). It had long been thought, at least by some, to belong ...

'' * '' Prionostemma'' * ''

Pristimera ''Pristimera'' is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the family Celastraceae The Celastraceae (staff-vine or bittersweet) are a family of 97 genera and 1,350 species of herbs, vines, shrubs and small trees, belonging to the order Celastr ...

'' * ''

Psammomoya ''Psammomoya'' is a genus of plants in the Celastraceae family, endemic to Western Australia. The genus was first described by Ludwig Diels and Ludwig Eduard Theodor Loesener in 1904 Events January * January 7 – The distress si ...

'' * '' Pseudocatha'' * '' Pseudosalacia'' * ''

'' * ''

Pterocelastrus ''Pterocelastrus'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Celastraceae. It includes four species native to southeastern and southern Africa, ranging from Malawi and Mozambique to Zimbabwe and South Africa. Species *'' Pterocelastrus dreg ...

'' * '' Putterlickia'' * ''

Quetzalia ''Quetzalia'' are a genus of flowering plants in the staff vine and bittersweet family Celastraceae, disjunctly distributed in Mexico, Central America, and Brazil. They can be trees, shrubs or lianas. Cyrus Longworth Lundell split them off from ' ...

'' * ''

Reissantia ''Reissantia'' is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the family Celastraceae The Celastraceae (staff-vine or bittersweet) are a family of 97 genera and 1,350 species of herbs, vines, shrubs and small trees, belonging to the order Celastr ...

'' * '' Robsonodendron'' * ''

Rzedowskia ''Rzedowskia'' is a monotypic genus of flowering plants belonging to the family Celastraceae. It contains one known species, ''Rzedowskia tolantonguensis'', native to eastern Mexico. The genus name of ''Rzedowskia'' is in honour of Jerzy Rzedowsk ...

'' * ''

Salacia In ancient Roman mythology, Salacia ( , ) was the female divinity of the sea, worshipped as the goddess of salt water who presided over the depths of the ocean. Neptune was her consort. That Salacia was the consort of Neptune is implied by Va ...

'' * '' Salacighia'' * '' Salaciopsis'' * ''

'' * '' Sarawakodendron'' * '' Scandivepres'' * '' Schaefferia'' * '' Semialarium'' * '' Simicratea'' * '' Simirestis'' * '' Siphonodon'' * ''

Stackhousia ''Stackhousia'' is a genus of annual and perennial plants in the family Celastraceae that are native to Australia, New Zealand, Malesia and Micronesia. The genus was first described by James Edward Smith in ''Transactions of the Linnean Society ...

'' * '' Tetrasiphon'' * '' Thyrosalacia'' * '' Tontelea'' * ''

Torralbasia ''Torralbasia'' is a monotypic genus of flowering plants belonging to the family Celastraceae. It only contains the one known species, Torralbasia cuneifolia (C.Wright ex A.Gray) Krug & Urb. It is native to the Caribbean and is found in the coun ...

'' * '' Tricerma'' * '' Tripterococcus'' * '' Tripterygium'' * '' Tristemonanthus'' * ''

Wimmeria ''Wimmeria'' is a genus of shrubs to small trees in the family Celastraceae. It is named after German botanist Christian Friedrich Heinrich Wimmer (1803–1868). Species :''This list may be incomplete.'' * '' Wimmeria acapulcensis'' Lundell ...

'' * ''

Xylonymus ''Xylonymus versteeghii'' is a species of flowering plant belonging to the family Celastraceae The Celastraceae (staff-vine or bittersweet) are a family of 97 genera and 1,350 species of herbs, vines, shrubs and small trees, belonging to the o ...

'' * ''

Zinowiewia ''Zinowiewia'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Celastraceae. It includes 14 species native to the tropical Americas, ranging from northeastern Mexico to French Guiana and Bolivia. 14 species are accepted: * ''Zinowiewia australis'' ...

'' ; Fossil genera * †'' Celastrinites''

References

University of Maryland: Cronquist Family Synonymy for Celastraceae
Rosid families Taxa named by Robert Brown (botanist, born 1773) {{Celastraceae-stub