Family: Rhamnaceae

The Buckthorn Family

Taxonomic Position (according to Cronquist)

Kingdom        : Plantae
Division          : Magnoliophyta
Class               : Magnoliopsida

Subclass          : Rosidae

Order              : Rhamnales

Family            : Rhamnaceae

 It is widely distributed in the drier part of tropical Africa and Asia. In Bangladesh and India the family is found throughout the country.

Botanical Description of the Family

Habit: Tree or shrub

Root: Tap root system

Stem: Thorny

Leaf: Simple, alternate, sometimes opposite

Inflorescence: Terminal or axillary cyme

Flower: Complete, bisexual or rarely unisexual

Calyx: Sepal 4-5, lobed triangular

Corolla: Petal 4-5, concave or hooded

Androecium: Stamen 4-5

Gynoecium: Carpel 2-3, syncarpous, ovary superior

Fruit: Drupe

Table 1. Economically important plant species of this family