Marcgraviaceae

Marcgraviaceae
Marcgravia umbellata
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Asterids
Order:	Ericales
Family:	Marcgraviaceae Bercht. & J.Presl[1]
Genera
See text

The Marcgraviaceae are a neotropical angiosperm family in the order Ericales. The members of the family are shrubs, woody epiphytes, and lianas, with alternate, pinnately nerved leaves. The flowers are arranged in racemes. The flowers are accompanied by modified, fleshy, saccate bracts which produce nectar. The flowers are pentamerous. The fruits are capsules.

Genera

Norantea guianensis subsp. guianensis

The family has seven genera:^[2]

• Marcgravia L. - (ca. 65 spp.): S Mexico, Mesoamerica, South America, Antilles^{[citation needed]}
• Marcgraviastrum (Wittm. ex Szyszył.) de Roon & S.Dressler - (15 spp.): S Nicaragua to Peru, Bolivia plus 2 spp. in E Brazil^{[citation needed]}
• Norantea Aubl - (2 spp.): Caribbean and Amazonian basin of NE South America^{[citation needed]}
• Ruyschia Jacq. - (9 spp.): Mesoamerica, N Andes, Lesser Antilles^{[citation needed]}
• Sarcopera Bedell - (ca. 10 spp.): Honduras to N Bolivia, Guiana Highlands^{[citation needed]}
• Schwartzia Vell. - (ca. 15 spp.): Costa Rica through the Andes south to Bolivia, in the Caribbean basin and 1 sp. in E Brazil^{[citation needed]}
• Souroubea Aubl. - (19 spp.): Mexico to Bolivia (absent from the Antilles)^{[citation needed]}

There are 2 known subfamilies; Marcgravioideae (containing Marcgravia and Marcgraviastrum) and Noranteoideae (containing the rest of the genera).^[3]

Former genus include Pseudosarcopera (now listed as a synonym of Sarcopera).^[4]

References

1. Angiosperm Phylogeny Group (2009). "An update of the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group classification for the orders and families of flowering plants: APG III". Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society. 161 (2): 105–121. doi:10.1111/j.1095-8339.2009.00996.x. hdl:10654/18083.
2. Marcgraviaceae Bercht. & J.Presl. (n.d.). Plants of the World Online. Retrieved July 26, 2025, from https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:77126595-1
3. Misa Ward, N.; Price, Robert A. (2002). "Phylogenetic Relationships of Marcgraviaceae: Insights from Three Chloroplast Genes and". Systematic Botany. 27 (1): 149–160.
4. "Pseudosarcopera Gir.-Cañas | Plants of the World Online | Kew Science". Plants of the World Online. Retrieved 20 February 2022.

Other sources

• Bedell, H.G. 1989. Marcgraviaceae. In: Howard, R.A. (ed.). Flora of the Lesser Antilles 5: 300–310.
• Dressler, S. 2000. Marcgraviaceae. In: Flora de República de Cuba, Ser. A, Fasc. 5: 1–14.
• Dressler, S. 2001. Marcgraviaceae. In: Steyermark, J.A., P.E. Berry, K. Yatskievych & B.K. Holst (eds.), Flora of the Venezuelan Guayana vol 6, pp. 248–260. Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis.
• Dressler, S. 2004. Marcgraviaceae. In: Kubitzki, K. (ed.). The Families and Genera of Vascular Plants. vol. 6, pp. 258–265. Springer-Verlag, Berlin.

External links

• Marcgraviaceae in L. Watson and M.J. Dallwitz (1992 onwards). The families of flowering plants: descriptions, illustrations, identification, information retrieval. http://delta-intkey.com