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Caltrop family
Zygophyllaceae
ハマビシ科
A family of about 22 genera and 285 species including Tribulus and Guaiacum, with many plants adapted to arid and saline habitats, distributed from deserts to coastal sands. In Japan, Tribulus terrestris grows on coastal sandy areas, notable for its sharply spiny fruits.
Key Characteristics
- ●Prominent adaptation to arid and saline soils
- ●Leaves even-pinnately compound, mostly opposite
- ●Flowers pentamerous, actinomorphic
- ●Fruits often bearing spines or wings
- ●Mostly shrubs or herbs
Morphological Traits
A family may include species with different trait values — multiple values indicate the range within the family.
Leaf arrangement
Alternate / Opposite
Leaf type
Compound / Simple
Venation
Pinnate
Leaf margin
Entire
Growth form
Shrub / Tree / Herb
Evergreen/Deciduous
Deciduous
Compound type
Ternate / Pinnate
Stipules
Present
Flower symmetry
Actinomorphic
Petal count
4 petals / Many
Petal fusion
Free / Fused
Ovary position
Superior
Stamen count
3-4
Plant sex
Dioecious / Hermaphrodite
Phylogenetic Position
Angiosperms > Eudicots > Core eudicots > Rosids > Malpighiales > Zygophyllaceae
Divergence Era
Paleogene (approx. 55 million years ago)
Representative Genera
Related Evolution Events
- ・Evolution of tolerance mechanisms for arid and saline soils
- ・Development of epizoochory through spiny fruits
Plants in Caltrop family on this site
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