Zygophyllaceae

Plant Characteristics

Cultivation

Scientific Names

Read about Zygophyllaceae in the Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture

Zygophyllaceae (from the genus Zygophyllum, derived from the Greek signifying a yoke and leaf; the leaflets are in pairs). Caltrop Family. Fig. 30. Herbs, shrubs, or trees: leaves opposite, rarely alternate, mostly pinnately compound: flowers bisexual, regular, rarely irregular; sepals 4-5, persistent, imbricated or rarely valvate; petals 4-5, rarely 0, imbricated, rarely valvate; disk present, diverse, rarely wanting; stamens usually 8 or 10, hypogynous, the outer opposite the petals, usually scales at the base of the filaments; ovary superior, 4-5-celled, rarely falsely many-celled; ovules 2 to several in each cell; style and stigma 1: fruit a capsule or separating into fruitlets. Twenty-one genera and about 150 species occur as natives of the warmer parts of the world, especially the drier desert regions. They are especially abundant in North Africa and the Mediterranean region. This family is very closely related to the Rutaceae, from which it differs in the absence of glandular dots and oil, and in the presence of stipules. The fruits are usually more or less lobed and sometimes winged or covered with prickles. The hard, faintly aromatic wood (lignumvitae) of Guaiacum officinale is used for cabinet work and for pulleys. The wood of this plant yields a resin used as a diaphoretic and purge. The flower-buds of one species of Zygophyllum are used in place of capers. The Arabs use Z. simplex to remove freckles. The fetid smell of this plant is so strong that even camels are said to reject it. Soda is obtained from species of Nitraria, which inhabit alkaline soil. Guaiacum officinale is sometimes grown in southern Florida and southern California for ornament. Zygophyllum may be in cultivation. CH The above text is from the Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture. It may be out of date, but still contains valuable and interesting information which can be incorporated into the remainder of the article. Click on "Collapse" in the header to hide this text.

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References

• Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture, by L. H. Bailey, MacMillan Co., 1963

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