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Burmannia family
Burmanniaceae
ヒナノシャクジョウ科
A family containing many small mycoheterotrophic plants growing on tropical to subtropical forest floors. Burmannia championii occurs in Japan. Many species have lost photosynthetic ability and produce small white to pale purple flowers.
Key Characteristics
- ●Many species are achlorophyllous mycoheterotrophic plants
- ●Perianth tubular, often with winged ridges
- ●Fruit a capsule with extremely minute seeds
- ●Grows on humus-rich soil of tropical forest floors
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
Parallel
Leaf margin
Entire
Growth form
Herb
Evergreen/Deciduous
Deciduous
Leaf dissection
Undivided
Flower symmetry
Actinomorphic
Petal count
3 petals / 6 petals
Ovary position
Half-inferior
Plant sex
Hermaphrodite / Monoecious
Phylogenetic Position
Angiosperms > Monocots > Dioscoreales > Burmanniaceae
Divergence Era
Late Cretaceous to Paleogene
Representative Genera
Related Evolution Events
- ・Independent evolution of mycoheterotrophy within Dioscoreales
- ・Establishment of mycorrhizal-dependent dispersal strategy through extreme seed miniaturization
Plants in Burmannia family on this site
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