Picramniaceae is a small, mainly neotropical

family Family (from la, familia) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its members and of society. Idea ...

of four genera '' Aenigmanu'', ''

Alvaradoa ''Alvaradoa'' is a genus of plants in the family Picramniaceae Picramniaceae is a small, mainly neotropical family of four genera '' Aenigmanu'', ''Alvaradoa'', ''Nothotalisia'' and ''Picramnia''. The family is the only member of the order P ...

'', '' Nothotalisia'' and '' Picramnia''. The family is the only member of the order Picramniales. Members of the family were formerly placed in the family

Simaroubaceae The Simaroubaceae are a small, mostly tropical, family in the order Sapindales. In recent decades, it has been subject to much taxonomic debate, with several small families being split off. A molecular phylogeny of the family was published in 20 ...

or misidentified as species in the family Sapindaceae, in the order

Sapindales Sapindales is an order of flowering plants. Well-known members of Sapindales include citrus; maples, horse-chestnuts, lychees and rambutans; mangos and cashews; frankincense and myrrh; mahogany and neem. The APG III system of 2009 includes it i ...

. The most recent standard classification of the Angiosperms (the APG III system) distinguishes it as a separate family and order. It belongs to the

malvids The rosids are members of a large clade (monophyletic group) of flowering plants, containing about 70,000 species, more than a quarter of all angiosperms. The clade is divided into 16 to 20 orders, depending upon circumscription and classificatio ...

(

eurosids II The rosids are members of a large clade ( monophyletic group) of flowering plants, containing about 70,000 species, more than a quarter of all angiosperms. The clade is divided into 16 to 20 orders, depending upon circumscription and classific ...

), one of the three groups that constitute the

rosids The rosids are members of a large clade (monophyletic group) of flowering plants, containing about 70,000 species, more than a quarter of all angiosperms. The clade is divided into 16 to 20 orders, depending upon circumscription and classificati ...

. In 2021, a new genus was identified from materials collected almost 50 years prior. It was discovered by Robert Foster in 1973, but no scientist was able to identify it. It is named ''Aenigmanu'' for the enigma it originally presented to researchers. * Family Picramniaceae ** Genus '' Aenigmanu'' ** Genus ''

'' ** Genus '' Nothotalisia'' ** Genus '' Picramnia''

Characteristics

The occurrence of tariric acid as the major fatty acid is typical for the Picramniaceae.R. Hänsel, 22. Lipide in: R. Hänsel, O. Sticher (Hrsg.) Pharmakognosie Phytopharmazie 9. Auflage (2010) 673–674 Springer, Heidelberg
Google Books

References

External links

(at Angiosperm Phylogeny Website)

(“Mystery plant” from the Amazon declared a new species after nearly 50 years of flummoxing scientists) {{Taxonbar, from=Q138806 Rosid families