Bombacaceae
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Bombacaceae were long recognised as a family of
flowering plant Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (), commonly called angiosperms. The term "angiosperm" is derived from the Greek words ('container, vessel') and ('seed'), and refers to those plants th ...
s or Angiospermae. The family name was based on the
type genus In biological taxonomy, the type genus is the genus which defines a biological family and the root of the family name. Zoological nomenclature According to the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature, "The name-bearing type of a nominal f ...
''
Bombax ''Bombax'' is a genus of mainly tropical trees in the mallow family. They are native to western Africa, the Indian subcontinent, Southeast Asia, and the subtropical regions of East Asia and northern Australia. It is distinguished from the gen ...
''. As is true for many botanical names, circumscription and status of the taxon has varied with taxonomic point of view, and currently the preference is to transfer most of the erstwhile family Bombacaceae to the subfamily
Bombacoideae Bombacoideae is a subfamily of the mallow family, Malvaceae. It contains herbaceous and woody plants. Their leaves are alternate, commonly palmately lobed, with small and caducous stipules. The flowers are hermaphroditic and actinomorphic; the c ...
within the family
Malvaceae Malvaceae, or the mallows, is a family of flowering plants estimated to contain 244 genera with 4225 known species. Well-known members of economic importance include okra, cotton, cacao and durian. There are also some genera containing familiar ...
in the order
Malvales The Malvales are an order of flowering plants. As circumscribed by APG II-system, the order includes about 6000 species within 9 families. The order is placed in the eurosids II, which are part of the eudicots. The plants are mostly shrubs and ...
. The rest of the family were transferred to other taxa, notably the new family Durionaceae. Irrespective of current taxonomic status, many of the species originally included in the Bombacaceae are of considerable ecological, historical, horticultural, and economic importance, such as
balsa ''Ochroma pyramidale'', commonly known as the balsa tree, is a large, fast-growing tree native to the Americas. It is the sole member of the genus ''Ochroma''. The tree is famous for its wide usage in woodworking, with the name ''balsa'' being ...
, kapok,
baobab ''Adansonia'' is a genus made up of eight species of medium-to-large deciduous trees known as baobabs ( or ). They are placed in the Malvaceae family, subfamily Bombacoideae. They are native to Madagascar, mainland Africa, and Australia.Tropic ...
and
durian The durian (, ) is the edible fruit of several tree species belonging to the genus ''Durio''. There are 30 recognised ''Durio'' species, at least nine of which produce edible fruit. ''Durio zibethinus'', native to Borneo and Sumatra, is the onl ...
.


Current taxonomy

Recent phylogenetic research has shown that Bombacaceae as traditionally circumscribed (including
tribe The term tribe is used in many different contexts to refer to a category of human social group. The predominant worldwide usage of the term in English language, English is in the discipline of anthropology. This definition is contested, in p ...
Durioneae) is not a
monophyletic In cladistics for a group of organisms, monophyly is the condition of being a clade—that is, a group of taxa composed only of a common ancestor (or more precisely an ancestral population) and all of its lineal descendants. Monophyletic gro ...
group. Bombacaceae is no longer recognized by the
Angiosperm Phylogeny Group The Angiosperm Phylogeny Group (APG) is an informal international group of systematic botanists who collaborate to establish a consensus on the taxonomy of flowering plants (angiosperms) that reflects new knowledge about plant relationships disco ...
I 1998, II 2003 and
Kubitzki system The Kubitzki system is a system of plant taxonomy devised by Klaus Kubitzki, and is the product of an ongoing survey of vascular plants, entitled ''The Families and Genera of Vascular Plants'', and extending to 15 volumes in 2018. The survey, in th ...
2003 at the rank of family, the bulk of the taxa in question being treated as subfamilies
Bombacoideae Bombacoideae is a subfamily of the mallow family, Malvaceae. It contains herbaceous and woody plants. Their leaves are alternate, commonly palmately lobed, with small and caducous stipules. The flowers are hermaphroditic and actinomorphic; the c ...
and
Helicteroideae Helicteroideae is a subfamily of the family Malvaceae. Some taxonomists place genera in Helicteroideae in distinct families Durionaceae and Helicteraceae,Heywood, V.H., Brummitt, R.K., Culham, A. & Seberg, O. 2007: Flowering Plant Families of th ...
within family
Malvaceae Malvaceae, or the mallows, is a family of flowering plants estimated to contain 244 genera with 4225 known species. Well-known members of economic importance include okra, cotton, cacao and durian. There are also some genera containing familiar ...
''sensu lato''. A close relationship between Bombacaceae and Malvaceae has long been recognized but until recently the families have been kept separate in most classification systems, and continue to be separated in many references, including the reference work in classification of
flowering plant Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (), commonly called angiosperms. The term "angiosperm" is derived from the Greek words ('container, vessel') and ('seed'), and refers to those plants th ...
s: Heywood ''et al.'' 2007 and Takhtajan 2009, but have been lumped together in
Angiosperm Phylogeny Website The Angiosperm Phylogeny Website (or APweb) is a website dedicated to research on angiosperm phylogeny and taxonomy. The site is hosted by the Missouri Botanical Garden website and maintained by researchers, Peter F. Stevens and Hilary M. Davis ...
. Heywood ''et al.'' say "although closely related to Malvaceae, molecular data supports their separation. Only pollen and habit seem to provide a morphological basis for the separation." On the other hand, they say: "One approach is to lump them [the families in the core
Malvales The Malvales are an order of flowering plants. As circumscribed by APG II-system, the order includes about 6000 species within 9 families. The order is placed in the eurosids II, which are part of the eudicots. The plants are mostly shrubs and ...
, including Bombacaceae] all into a 'super' Malvaceae, recognizing them as subfamilies. The other, taken here, is to recognize each of these ten groups as families." As circumscribed in its traditional sense, the family Bombacaceae includes around 30 genera (25 genera after Heywood ''et al.'' ) with about 250 species of tropical trees, some of considerable girth, so called "bottle trees". Many species grow to become large trees, with ''Ceiba pentandra'' the tallest, reaching a height to 70 m. Several of the genera are commercially important, producing timber, edible
fruit In botany, a fruit is the seed-bearing structure in flowering plants that is formed from the ovary after flowering. Fruits are the means by which flowering plants (also known as angiosperms) disseminate their seeds. Edible fruits in particu ...
or useful fibres. The family is noted for some of the softest hardwoods commercially traded, especially
balsa ''Ochroma pyramidale'', commonly known as the balsa tree, is a large, fast-growing tree native to the Americas. It is the sole member of the genus ''Ochroma''. The tree is famous for its wide usage in woodworking, with the name ''balsa'' being ...
, ''Ochroma lagopus''. The fruit of the
durian The durian (, ) is the edible fruit of several tree species belonging to the genus ''Durio''. There are 30 recognised ''Durio'' species, at least nine of which produce edible fruit. ''Durio zibethinus'', native to Borneo and Sumatra, is the onl ...
, ''Durio zibethinus'' is famous, tasting better than it smells. At one time the fibre from the
kapok tree Kapok tree can refer to several plants Malvales with one exception with seeds that grow long hairs: *''Bombax ceiba'', an Asian tree with red flowers *''Calotropis procera'' (Asterid), a shrub with white and purple flowers, native to Asia and ...
, ''Ceiba pentandra'' was used in making lifebuoys. The
baobab ''Adansonia'' is a genus made up of eight species of medium-to-large deciduous trees known as baobabs ( or ). They are placed in the Malvaceae family, subfamily Bombacoideae. They are native to Madagascar, mainland Africa, and Australia.Tropic ...
s or "bottle trees" (''Adansonia'' spp.) are important icons in certain parts of
Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia in both cases. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of Earth's total surface area ...
,
Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...
and
Madagascar Madagascar (; mg, Madagasikara, ), officially the Republic of Madagascar ( mg, Repoblikan'i Madagasikara, links=no, ; french: République de Madagascar), is an island country in the Indian Ocean, approximately off the coast of East Africa ...
, noted for their immensely stout trunk development, a mechanism for enhancing water storage.


Genera

*''
Adansonia ''Adansonia'' is a genus made up of eight species of medium-to-large deciduous trees known as baobabs ( or ). They are placed in the Malvaceae family, subfamily Bombacoideae. They are native to Madagascar, mainland Africa, and Australia.Tropic ...
'' L. *'' Aguiaria'' Ducke *''
Bernoullia ''Bernoullia'' is a genus of tropical trees in the mallow family, Malvaceae. It was established by English botanist Daniel Oliver in 1873. There are three accepted species, which occur from Mexico to Colombia. *'' Bernoullia flammea'' *'' Bernou ...
'' Oliv. *''
Bombax ''Bombax'' is a genus of mainly tropical trees in the mallow family. They are native to western Africa, the Indian subcontinent, Southeast Asia, and the subtropical regions of East Asia and northern Australia. It is distinguished from the gen ...
'' L. *'' Catostemma'' Benth. *''
Cavanillesia ''Cavanillesia'' is a genus of trees in the family Malvaceae. It is native to Panama and South America. Taxonomy ''Cavanillesia'' consists of 5 species so far: * '' Cavanillesia arborea'' * '' Cavanillesia chicamochae'' * ''Cavanillesia hy ...
'' Ruiz & Pav. *''
Ceiba ''Ceiba'' is a genus of trees in the family Malvaceae, native to tropical and subtropical areas of the Americas (from Mexico and the Caribbean to N Argentina) and tropical West Africa. Some species can grow to tall or more, with a straight, la ...
'' Mill. *''
Chiranthodendron ''Chiranthodendron'' is a flowering plant genus in the family Malvaceae. It comprises a single species of tree, ''Chiranthodendron pentadactylon''. Names The tree is called the devil's, monkey's or Mexican hand tree or the hand-flower in English ...
'' Larreat. (according to Kubitzki in subf. Bombacoideae Kubitzki, K. & Bayer, C., (2003).The Families and Genera of Vascular Plants Vol. 5: Malvales, Capparales and Non-betalain Caryophyllales and considered more closely related to ''Fremontodendron'' by Baum ''et al.'' 2004 ) *'' Eriotheca'' Schott & Endl. *''
Fremontodendron ''Fremontodendron'', with the common names fremontia and flannelbush or flannel bush, is a genus of three known species of shrubs native to the Southwestern United States and northwest Mexico. Taxonomy They are within the botanical family Malv ...
'' Coville (according to Heywood ''et al.'' ) *''
Gyranthera ''Gyranthera'' is a genus of tropical trees of South America and Central America in the family Malvaceae. There are 3 species.
'' Pittier *''
Huberodendron ''Huberodendron'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Malvaceae. It contains the following species: * ''Huberodendron allenii'' * ''Huberodendron ingens'' * ''Huberodendron patinoi'' * ''Huberodendron swietenioides ''Huberodendron'' i ...
'' Ducke *'' Matisia'' Bonpl. *''
Neobuchia ''Neobuchia'' is a monotypic genus of flowering plants belonging to the family Malvaceae Malvaceae, or the mallows, is a family of flowering plants estimated to contain 244 genera with 4225 known species. Well-known members of economic importan ...
'' Urb. *''
Ochroma ''Ochroma pyramidale'', commonly known as the balsa tree, is a large, fast-growing tree native to the Americas. It is the sole member of the genus ''Ochroma''. The tree is famous for its wide usage in woodworking, with the name ''balsa'' being ...
'' Sw. *''
Pachira ''Pachira'' is a genus of tropical trees distributed in Central and South America, Africa and India. They are classified in the subfamily Bombacoideae of the family Malvaceae. Previously the genus was assigned to Bombacaceae. Prior to that the g ...
'' Aubl. *''
Patinoa ''Patinoa'' is a genus of trees in the family Malvaceae, native to Panama and South America South America is a continent entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the ...
'' Cuatrec. *''
Pentaplaris ''Pentaplaris'' is a genus of South American flowering plants in the family Malvaceae Malvaceae, or the mallows, is a family of flowering plants estimated to contain 244 genera with 4225 known species. Well-known members of economic importance ...
'' L.O.Williams & Standl. (according to Kubitzki in subf. Bombacoideae, but ''incertae sedis'' ) *''
Phragmotheca ''Phragmotheca'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Malvaceae. Selected species It contains the following species: * ''Phragmotheca rubriflora ''Phragmotheca rubriflora'' is a species of flowering plant in the family Malvaceae. It ...
'' Cuatrec. *''
Pseudobombax ''Pseudobombax'' is a genus of flowering plants in the subfamily Bombacoideae of the family Malvaceae. The genus ranges across tropical South America, Central America, Mexico, Cuba, Hispaniola, and the Windward Islands."''Pseudobombax'' Dugand". ...
'' Dugand *''
Quararibea ''Quararibea'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Malvaceae. Species include: *''Quararibea asterolepis'' *''Quararibea aurantiocalyx'' *''Quararibea cordata'' *'' Quararibea dolichopoda'' *'' Quararibea dolichosiphon'' *'' Quararibea ...
'' Aubl. *'' Scleronema'' Benth. *'' Septotheca'' Ulbr. *''
Spirotheca ''Spirotheca'' is a genus of trees in the family Malvaceae, native to Central and South America South America is a continent entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in t ...
'' Ulbr. (according to Heywood ''et al.'' ) ;Genera of tribe Durioneae excluded from Bombacaceae after Heywood ''et al.'' 2007 and that should be included in Durionaceae: *''
Boschia ''Boschia'' is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the family Malvaceae. Its native range is Indo-China Mainland Southeast Asia, also known as the Indochinese Peninsula or Indochina, is the continental portion of Southeast Asia. It li ...
'' Korth. *''
Coelostegia ''Coelostegia'' is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the family Malvaceae Malvaceae, or the mallows, is a family of flowering plants estimated to contain 244 genera with 4225 known species. Well-known members of economic importance inclu ...
'' Benth. *''
Cullenia ''Cullenia'' is a genus of flowering plants native to India and Sri Lanka. Earlier classification schemes place the genus in the kapok-tree family (Bombacaceae), but the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group places it in the mallow family (Malvaceae). The ...
'' Wight *''
Durio The durian (, ) is the edible fruit of several tree species belonging to the genus ''Durio''. There are 30 recognised ''Durio'' species, at least nine of which produce edible fruit. ''Durio zibethinus'', native to Borneo and Sumatra, is the onl ...
'' Adans. *''
Kostermansia ''Kostermansia malayana'', commonly known as the durian tuang or krepal, is a species of flowering plant in the mallow family, Malvaceae, that is endemic to Peninsular Malaysia. It is threatened by habitat loss Habitat destruction (also ter ...
'' Soegeng *''
Neesia Durioneae is a tribe within the subfamily Helicteroideae of the plant family Malvaceae s.l. The tribe contains at least five genera, including ''Durio'', the genus of tree species that produce Durian fruits. Taxonomy Within Durioneae, ''Koster ...
'' Blume ;Genus that should be excluded from Bombacaceae after Heywood ''et al.'' 2007 and that be included in Malvaceae s. s. *''
Camptostemon ''Camptostemon'' is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the family Malvaceae. Its native range is Central Malesia Malesia is a biogeographical region straddling the Equator and the boundaries of the Indomalayan and Australasian realm ...
'' Mast. ;Genera considered synonym after Kubitzki 2003 *'' Bombacopsis'' Pittier = Pachira Aubl. *''
Chorisia ''Ceiba'' is a genus of trees in the family Malvaceae, native to tropical and subtropical areas of the Americas (from Mexico and the Caribbean to N Argentina) and tropical West Africa. Some species can grow to tall or more, with a straight, ...
'' Kunth = Ceiba Mill. *'' Rhodognaphalon'' (Ulbr.) Roberty = Pachira Aubl. ;Genus not treated in Kubitzki *'' Lahia'' Hassk., synonym of ''Durio'', according to Mabberley


References


Bombacaceae
i
L. Watson and M.J. Dallwitz
(1992 onwards) ''The families of flowering plants: descriptions''.
World checklist of malvaceae: 12. Bombacoideae
{{Taxonbar, from=Q2006755 Malvales families Historically recognized angiosperm families