Diversity: A family of 50 genera and over 1,000 species of herbs, shrubs, and trees with two subfamilies, the Clusioideae and Hypericoideae with the latter often treated as a distinct family (Hypericaceae).
Distribution: Broadly distributed but elements of the Hypericoideae more common North temperate areas and the typical subfamily - Clusioideae - centered in the tropics.
Floral structure:
Significant features: With very few exceptions plants of the Clusiaceae (s. lat.)
show opposite, simple, and entire leaves and the numerous
stamens positioned in fascicles or
clusters.
Hypericum - with
fascicled stamens
Hypericum -
another species with similar androecium - from the University
of Hawaii
Hypericum -
opposite, entire and - in
this case - sessile leaves
The mangosteen
(Garcinia mangostana L.) shows a structure common to
taxa
of subfamily Clusioideae, an aril ("a pulpy or fleshy
appendage, outgrouth or outer covering of a seed - often derived from
the funiculus") which is the only part consumed in this "best of
tropical fruits".
More information on the Clusiaceae
(or Hypericaceae
or Guttiferae)
