190 OLACACEAE 
X. americana L. 
Scrambling or erect shrub, rarely a small tree, 
sometimes spinose, ? deciduous, vegetative parts 
glabrous. Spines developed from axillary shoot, to 
30 mm long. Petioles 5-9 mm long, narrowly winged. 
Leaf blades elliptic to obovate, 30-60 mm long, 10- 
35 mm wide, L/B 1.5-3, + succulent. Inflorescence a 
subumbellate raceme or cyme, to 15 mm long. Calyx 
2-4-lobed, tube very short. Petals 4, white, linear- 
O. imbricata 
Fig. 60 
Ximenia 
oblong, 7-9 mm long, bearded inside. Stamens 8; 
staminodes absent. Ovary 4-locular. Fruit pyriform 
or globular, fleshy, yellow, 17-25 mm long. Flower- 
ing: Sept - Dec; fruiting: most months. Fig. 60 
A pantropical species; in Australia from Qld to the 
NT. Rare in the DR; recorded from Channel Point 
and Cape Hotham on coastal dunes. The fleshy part 
of the fruit is edible but the seeds are known to be 
purgative (Mabberley, 1990). 
Ximenia 
2cm 
X. americana 
OPILIACEAE 
Evergreen trees or shrubs, sometimes climbing; root hemiparasitic. Leaves distichous, alternate, 
simple, entire, pinnately veined, exstipulate. Inflorescence of axillary spikes, racemes, umbels, or 
panicles, sometimes catkin-like. Flowers bracteate, 4-5-merous, bisexual (in Australia). Calyx small 
and inconspicuous, cupular, entire or lobed. Petals free or connate below. Stamens as many as and 
opposite the petals, free or filaments borne on petals or on corolla tube. Intrastaminal nectary-disc 
present. Ovary superior, of 2-5 united carpels, unilocular; ovule 1; style simple or stigma sessile. 
Fruit a drupe. 
A pantropical family of 9 genera and c. 30 species; 2 genera in Australia and the NT, both recorded for the 
DR. [Hiepko, 1984] 
ih. Inflorescence bracts deciduous; flowers mostly 3 per bract; petals free; 
FTUIE COM COMIONS seerpersetereesstseresteetsrseettseeictesiritettieasetrineteriresreeit reeset streets Opilia 
1. Inflorescence bracts persistent; flowers 1 per bract; petals united; 
FrUIE COMES CMON A rievccetessecsssslteresestrncecttietererisascestaesapercedi tater evimcatesctveresteest terres ttt s- Cansjera 
