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Kiwi family
Actinidiaceae Engl. & Gilg
マタタビ科
A family of woody climbing plants centered in East Asia, comprising about 360 species. In Japan, Actinidia polygama (silver vine), A. arguta (hardy kiwi), and A. kolomikta are native; A. arguta is closely related to kiwifruit. Kiwifruit (Actinidia deliciosa) is the most well-known fruit of this family.
Key Characteristics
- ●Climbing deciduous or evergreen woody plants
- ●Leaves are simple, alternate, with serrate margins
- ●Flowers are white to pale yellow, pentamerous, with numerous stamens
- ●Fruit is a berry (kiwi-type) containing numerous seeds
- ●Many species are dioecious
Morphological Traits
A family may include species with different trait values — multiple values indicate the range within the family.
Leaf arrangement
Alternate
Leaf type
Simple
Venation
Pinnate
Leaf margin
Serrate / Entire
Growth form
Shrub / Tree / Vine
Evergreen/Deciduous
Deciduous
Leaf dissection
Undivided
Stipules
Present
Flower symmetry
Actinomorphic
Petal count
Many
Ovary position
Superior
Stamen count
3-4
Plant sex
Dioecious / Hermaphrodite / Monoecious
Phylogenetic Position
Angiosperms > Eudicots > Core Eudicots > Ericales > Actinidiaceae
Divergence Era
Paleogene (ca. 55 million years ago)
Representative Genera
Related Evolution Events
- ・Evolution into woody climbers adapted to ascending within forest canopies
- ・Evolution of secondary metabolites such as actinidine lactones that attract felids
Plants in Kiwi family on this site
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