Adoxaceae
| Adoxaceae | |
|---|---|
| Adoxa moschatellina | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Dipsacales |
| Family: | Adoxaceae E.Mey.[1] |
| Type genus | |
| Adoxa L.
| |
| Genera[2] | |
Adoxaceae or Viburnaceae, commonly known as the moschatel family,[3] is a small family of flowering plants in the order Dipsacales, which includes three genera – Adoxa, Sambucus, and Viburnum[2] – and 150–200 species. They are characterised by opposite toothed leaves, small five- or, more rarely, four-petalled flowers in cymose inflorescences, and the fruit being a drupe. They are thus similar to many Cornaceae.
In older classifications, this entire family was part of Caprifoliaceae, the honeysuckle family. Adoxa (moschatel) was the first plant to be moved to this new group. Much later, the genera Sambucus (elders) and Viburnum were added after careful morphological analysis and biochemical tests by the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group.
Usage of the name Viburnaceae is gradually becoming more common. As of March 2021, the Angiosperm Phylogeny website and Plants of the World Online by Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew refer to this family as Viburnaceae Raf., nom. cons, as do sources from November 2025.[4][5][6][7]
Adoxa moschatellina is a small perennial herbaceous plant, flowering early in the spring and dying down to ground level in summer immediately after the berries are mature; the leaves are compound.
The elders are mostly shrubs, but two species are large herbaceous plants; all have compound leaves. The viburnums are all shrubs, with simple leaves.
Gallery
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Viburnum davidii foliage and fruit
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Sambucus racemosa flowers
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Sambucus nigra flowers
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Sambucus canadensis foliage and fruit
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References
- ^ 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.
- ^ a b "Viburnaceae Raf". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 16 March 2026.
- ^ English Names for Korean Native Plants (PDF). Pocheon: Korea National Arboretum. 2015. p. 342. ISBN 978-89-97450-98-5. Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 May 2017. Retrieved 25 January 2016 – via Korea Forest Service.
- ^ Stevens, P. F. (July 2017). "Viburnaceae". Angiosperm Phylogeny. Retrieved 2 Jun 2021.
- ^ "Viburnaceae Raf". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 18 March 2021.
- ^ Pelser, P.B.; Barcelona, J.F.; Nickrent, D.L. (2011). "Viburnaceae". Digital Flora of the Philippines. Retrieved 5 November 2025.
- ^ Turner, I.M. (June 2024). "Flora of Singapore precursors, 43: Notes on Viburnaceae in Singapore" (PDF). Gardens' Bulletin Singapore. 76 (1): 103–107. doi:10.26492/gbs76(1).2024-05.
External links
Media related to Adoxaceae at Wikimedia Commons