Capparaceae Juss.
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Caper family
Capparaceae Juss.
フウチョウソウ科
A family of woody and herbaceous plants distributed in tropical to subtropical regions, comprising about 33 genera and 700 species. Capers (flower buds of Capparis spinosa) are used as food. In Japan, several species of Cleome are native to the Ryukyu Islands.
Key Characteristics
- ●Flowers are tetramerous with 4 petals and 4 sepals
- ●Stamens are numerous with long, conspicuous filaments (spider-like appearance)
- ●Leaves are alternate, simple or compound
- ●Fruit is a capsule or berry
Phylogenetic Position
Angiosperms > Eudicots > Core Eudicots > Brassicales > Capparaceae
Divergence Era
Late Cretaceous to Paleogene (ca. 70 million years ago)
Representative Genera
フウチョウソウ属（Cleome）ケッパー属（Capparis）
Related Evolution Events
- ・Evolution of glucosinolate-based defense compounds (shared across Brassicales)
- ・Development of pollinator attraction through numerous long stamens
Plants in Caper family on this site
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