Celastraceae

The Celastraceae (staff-vine or bittersweet) are a family of 98 genera^[3] and 1,350 species^[4] of herbs, vines, shrubs and small trees, belonging to the order Celastrales. The great majority of the genera are tropical, with only Celastrus (the staff vines), Euonymus (the spindles) and Maytenus widespread in temperate climates, and Parnassia (bog-stars) found in alpine and arctic climates.

Celastraceae
Oriental staff vine (Celastrus orbiculatus)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Rosids
Order:	Celastrales
Family:	Celastraceae R.Br.[1]
Subfamilies[2]
Celastroideae Hippocrateoideae Parnassioideae Salacioideae Stackhousioideae
Synonyms[3]
Brexiaceae Loudon (1830) Hippocrateaceae Malesherbiaceae Parnassiaceae Martinov, as 'Parnassiae' (1820)

Of the 98 currently recognized genera of the family Celastraceae, 19 are native to Madagascar and these include at least 57 currently recognized species. Six of these 19 genera (Brexiella, Evonymopsis, Hartogiopsis, Polycardia, Ptelidium, and Salvadoropsis) are endemic to Madagascar.^[5] These genera each have distinctive traits and functions of their own.^[6]

Genera

98 genera are accepted by Plants of the World Online as of November 2024^[update]:^[3]

• Acanthothamnus Brandegee
• Allocassine N.Robson
• Anthodon Ruiz & Pav.
• Apatophyllum McGill.
• Apodostigma R.Wilczek
• Arnicratea N.Hallé
• Bequaertia R.Wilczek
• Brassiantha A.C.Sm.
• Brexia Norhonha ex Thouars
• Brexiella H.Perrier
• Campylostemon Welw. ex Benth. & Hook.f.
• Canotia Torr. – crucifixion thorn
• Cassine L.
• Catha Forssk. ex Scop. – khat
• Celastrus L. – staff vine or staff tree
• Cheiloclinium Miers
• Crossopetalum P.Browne
• Cuervea Triana ex Miers
• Denhamia Meisn.
• Dicarpellum (Loes.) A.C.Sm.
• Dinghoua R.H.Archer
• Elachyptera A.C.Sm.
• Elaeodendron Jacq.
• Empleuridium Sond. & Harv.
• Euonymus L. – spindle
• Evonymopsis H.Perrier
• Fraunhofera Mart.
• Glyptopetalum Thwaites
• Goniodiscus Kuhlm.
• Gyminda (Griseb.) Sarg.
• Gymnosporia (Wight & Arn.) Hook.f.
• Hartogiopsis H.Perrier
• Haydenoxylon M.P.Simmons
• Hedraianthera F.Muell.
• Helictonema Pierre
• Hexaspora C.T.White
• Hippocratea L.
• Hylenaea Miers
• Hypsophila F.Muell.
• Kokoona Thwaites
• Lauridia Eckl. & Zeyh.
• Lepuropetalon Elliott
• Loeseneriella A.C.Sm.
• Lophopetalum Wight ex Arn.
• Lydenburgia N.Robson
• Macgregoria F.Muell.
• Maurocenia Mill.
• Maytenus Molina – mayten
• Menepetalum Loes.
• Microtropis Wall. ex Meisn.
• Monimopetalum Rehder
• Mortonia A.Gray
• Mystroxylon Eckl. & Zeyh.
• Nicobariodendron Vasudeva Rao & Chakrab.
• Orthosphenia Standl.
• Parnassia L.
• Paxistima Raf.
• Peripterygia Loes.
• Peritassa Miers
• Plagiopteron Griff.
• Platypterocarpus Dunkley & Brenan
• Plenckia Reissek
• Pleurostylia Wight & Arn.
• Polycardia Juss.
• Pottingeria Prain
• Prionostemma Miers
• Pristimera Miers
• Psammomoya Diels & Loes.
• Pseudosalacia Codd
• Ptelidium Thouars
• Pterocelastrus Meisn.
• Putterlickia Endl.
• Quetzalia Lundell
• Reissantia N.Hallé
• Robsonodendron R.H.Archer
• Rzedowskia Medrano
• Salacia L.
• Salacighia Loes.
• Salaciopsis Baker f.
• Salvadoropsis H.Perrier
• Sarawakodendron Ding Hou
• Schaefferia Jacq.
• Semialarium N.Hallé
• Simicratea N.Hallé
• Siphonodon Griff.
• Stackhousia Sm.
• Tetrasiphon Urb.
• Thyrsosalacia Loes.
• Tontelea Miers
• Torralbasia Krug & Urb.
• Tripterococcus Endl.
• Tripterygium Hook.f.
• Tristemonanthus Loes.
• Trochantha (N.Hallé) R.H.Archer
• Wilczekra M.P.Simmons
• Wimmeria Schltdl. & Cham.
• Xylonymus Kalkman ex Ding Hou
• Zinowiewia Turcz.

Fossil genera

• †Celastrinites