Ricinocarpos is a genus of evergreen flowering plants in the family Euphorbiaceae and is endemic to Australia. Plants in the genus Ricinocarpos are monoecious shrubs with leaves arranged alternately along the branches, the edges curved downwards or rolled under. Male flowers are arranged singly or in racemes at the ends of branchlets, with four to six sepals that are fused at the base. There are four to six petals that are longer than the sepals, with many stamens fused to form a central column. Female flowers are arranged singly and are similar to male flowers but with three styles fused at the base and with a deeply branched tip. The fruit is a capsule containing seeds with an elaiosome.[3][4]

Ricinocarpos
Male flower of Ricinocarpos linearifolius
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Malpighiales
Family: Euphorbiaceae
Subfamily: Crotonoideae
Tribe: Ricinocarpeae
Subtribe: Ricinocarpinae
Genus: Ricinocarpos
Desf.[1]
Type species
Ricinocarpos pinifolius
Synonyms[1]

The genus Ricinocarpus was first formally described in 1817 by René Louiche Desfontaines in Mémoires du Muséum d'histoire naturelle.[5][6] The entire genus is endemic to Australia.[7][8]

As of August 2023, the Australian Plant Census accepted the following species:[9]

References

edit
  1. ^ a b "Ricinocarpos". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 13 August 2023.
  2. ^ Tropicos, Ricinocarpos Desf.
  3. ^ James, Teresa A.; Harden, Gwen J. "Genus Ricinocarpos". Royal Botanic Garden Sydney. Retrieved 13 August 2023.
  4. ^ Jeanes, Jeff A. "Ricinocarpos". Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria. Retrieved 13 August 2023.
  5. ^ "Ricinocarpos". APNI. Retrieved 13 August 2022.
  6. ^ Desfontaines, René Louiche. 1817. Mémoires du Muséum d'Histoire Naturelle Volume 3: 459-461 in Latin with French translation, plus line drawing
  7. ^ Govaerts, R., Frodin, D.G. & Radcliffe-Smith, A. (2000). World Checklist and Bibliography of Euphorbiaceae (and Pandaceae) 1-4: 1-1622. The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
  8. ^ Halford, D.A. & Henderson, J.F. (2007). A taxonomic revision of Ricinocarpos Desf. (Euphorbiaceae: Ricinocarpeae, Ricinocarpinae). Austrobaileya 7: 387-449.
  9. ^ "Ricinocarpos". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 13 August 2023.