Y. Nasir

Trees or shrubs. Leaves simple, alternate, stipulate. Inflorescence mixed cymose or racemose. Flowers solitary, axillary, often in clusters, unisexual or bisexual. Peduncle often jointed. Petals present or lacking. Stamens numerous, sometimes with staminodes; anthers dehiscing by slits. Ovary unilocular or multilocular with Parietal Placentae. Fruit a berry or a drupe. Seeds 1 to many, usually with aril.

A family of about 90 genera and over a 1,000 species in the tropical and the sub-tropical regions. Only 3 genera and 5 species have been reported from West Pakistan. All of there are small or medium sized trees. The family includes Bixaceae and Samydaceae of the Hooker’s Flora of British India.

Lower Taxa

• Casearia Jacq.
• Flacourtia Commers. ex L’Herit.
• Gmelina Linn.
• Xylosma Forst.