Hippocastanaceae
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Hippocastanaceae is a small family of woody plants. Its most widespread genus is Aesculus (the horsechestnuts), which today is taken to include Pavia (the buckeyes). However, the American genus Billia and the Chinese genus Handeliodendron should also be members of the family. A feature of the family is the palmate compound leaves.
These plants are closely related to the large, mostly tropical family Sapindaceae, and these days it is common, as by APG, for all the plants in both Aceraceae and Hippocastanaceae to be included in an enlarged family Sapindaceae.
Best evidence so far shows each of these two smaller families to be monophyletic (i.e. they are "good" groups) and to be basal to Sapindaceae. Inclusion (or not) is a matter of taxonomic opinion, rather than of hard fact.
- External links
- Hippocastanaceae in L.Watson and M.J.Dallwitz. 1992 onwards. The families of flowering plants: descriptions, illustrations, identification, and information retrieval. http://www.delta-intkey.com
