Rutaceae Family PDF

RUTACEAE The Rutaceae is a family, commonly known as the rue or citrus family, of flowering plants, usually placed in the order Sapindales. Species of the family generally have flowers that divide into four or five parts, usually with strong scents. They range in form and size from herbs to shrubs...

RUTACEAE The Rutaceae is a family, commonly known as the rue or citrus family, of flowering plants, usually placed in the order Sapindales. Species of the family generally have flowers that divide into four or five parts, usually with strong scents. They range in form and size from herbs to shrubs and large trees. The Rutaceae consists of trees, shrubs, lianas, or rarely herbs. The stems of some taxa have thorns. The leaves are simple, trifoliolate, or pinnate, sometimes pinnatifid, exstipu-late, usually with pellucid or punctate glands. The inflorescence is a cyme or raceme, rarely of solitary flowers. The [inflorescence](https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-sciences/spadix) is a [cyme](https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-sciences/spadix) or [raceme](https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-sciences/raceme), rarely of solitary flowers. The **flowers** are usually bisexual and actinomorphic, hypogynous, rarely epigynous. The [calyx](https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-sciences/sepal) is aposepalous or synsepalous with \[2--3\] [sepals](https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-sciences/sepal) or lobes. The [corolla](https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-sciences/corolla) is apopetalous or sympetalous with 4--5 \[0, 2--3\], imbricate or valvate petals or lobes. The [stamens](https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-sciences/stamen) are 8--10--∞, usually diplostemonous, in 2 \[1--4\] whorls, with [staminodes](https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-sciences/staminode) present in some taxa; filaments are often basally connate.  **Anthers** are longitudinal in [dehiscence](https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-sciences/dehiscence). The [gynoecium](https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-sciences/gynoecium) is syncarpous, rarely apocarpous, with a superior ovary, 4--5 \[1--∞\] [carpels](https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-sciences/carp), and 4--5 \[1--∞\] locules. [Placentation](https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-sciences/placentation) is axile; **ovules** are anatropous or hemitropous, bitegmic, 2 \[1--∞\] per [carpel](https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-sciences/carp). Nectaries are usually present as an annular disk at the base of the ovary. The **fruit** is a [schizocarp](https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-sciences/schizocarp), berry, drupe, or [hesperidium](https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-sciences/hesperidium) (the last with internal, swollen trichomes termed juice sacs). Secretory cavities containing ethereal oils are present in many tissues, including the leaves and [pericarp](https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-sciences/pericarp). Members of the Rutaceae have a worldwide distribution, especially in tropical regions. Economic importance includes many important fruits, among them *Citrus* spp. (oranges, grapefruits, lemons, [limes](https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-sciences/limes), etc.), herbs such as *Ruta graveolens* (rue), timber trees, [medicinal plants](https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-sciences/medicinal-plant), and a number or ornamental cultivars. Some common examples are: *Citrus sinensis --* sweet orange **Citrus aurantifolia** is a **citrus** hybrid (C. hystrix × C. medica) native to tropical Southeast Asia.