TREATMENT FROM THE JEPSON MANUAL (1993) |
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©Copyright 1993 by the Regents of the University of California
For up-to-date information about California vascular plants, visit the Jepson eFlora. |
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Perennial, shrub, vine, tree, generally with milky juice, monoecious or dioecious
Leaves alternate or opposite, generally simple, evergreen or deciduous, entire to lobed, petioled; stipules sometimes ± 0
Inflorescence: raceme, spike, head, or flowers enclosed in thickened receptacle tissue, axillary
Flower unisexual, small, ± radial; sepals generally 4, free or fused at base; petals 0; stamens generally 4, opposite sepals; ovary generally superior, 1-chambered, style simple or 2-parted
Fruit: multiple achenes within fleshy calyces or surrounded by fleshy receptacle tissue
Genera in family: ± 40 genera, 9001000 species: tropical, subtropical, some temp; many cultivated (Ficus ; Artocarpus , breadfruit, jackfruit; Morus ). Pollinated by insects or wind. See Cannabaceae for Cannabis , Humulus , sometimes included in this family.
Tree, generally with axillary thorns, dioecious
Leaves alternate but often clustered with inflorescences on short shoots, entire, deciduous; major veins pinnate
Inflorescence ± erect; staminate an umbel-like raceme, several per axil, peduncled; pistillate a dense, spheric head, 1 per axil, sessile
Pistillate flower: style simple
Fruit: multiple of achenes within fleshy calyces on inflorescence receptacle, ± like a bumpy, yellow-green orange
Species in genus: ± 12 species: warm parts of Am, Africa, Asia
Etymology: (W. McClure, American geologist, 17601840)
Wind-pollinated.