Publishing author: Roem. & Schult. Publication: Syst. v. pp. xxvi, 330 (1819)
Basionym: Pittosporaceae Billardiera longiflora Labill.
Basionym author: (Labill.)
Trees or shrubs, evergreen, glabrous or pubescent, occasionally spiny. Leaves alternate, occasionally opposite, estipulate; leaf blade mostly leathery, margin entire, rarely dentate or lobed. Inflorescences umbellate, corymbose, paniculate, or a solitary flower, bracteate and bracteolate. Flowers usually bisexual, sometimes polygamous, actinomorphic, rarely zygomorphic, usually 5-merous (except ovary) . Sepals usually free or slightly connate. Petals free or connate, white, yellow, blue, or red. Stamens opposite sepals; filament filiform; anther basifixed or dorsifixed, 2-loculed, dehiscing longitudinally or by pores. Ovary superior, of 2 or 3( 5) carpels, usually 1-loculed or incompletely 2 5-loculed; ovules numerous, anatropous; placentation parietal, axile, or basilar. Style short, simple or 2 5-lobed, persistent or deciduous. Fruit a capsule dehiscing by adaxial suture, or a berry. Seeds numerous; testa thin; endosperm well developed; embryo small.
Nine genera and ca. 250 species: tropical and subtropical regions of Africa, Asia, Australia, and Pacific Islands, especially Australia; one genus and 46 species (33 endemic) in China.[1]
There are approximately 5 species, subspecies, varieties, forms, and cultivars in this genus: L. canariensis · L. fusiformis · L. longiflora · L. mutabilis · L. scandens
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