Herbs, shrubs or trees. Approx. 350 species in 31 genera. (Judd, 1999). Major genera are Neea (80), Guapira (70), Mirabilis (50), Pisonia (40), Abronia (30), Boerhavia (20)
Distribution
Pantropical, conecentrated in America
Floral characters
Inflorescence determined, terminal or axial. Flowers are bisexual, radiary often with conspicious bracts (petal- or sepal-like). 5 tepals connate to single tube, valvate, plicate or contorted, proximal portion is persistant, green, distal portion petal-like. 5 Stamens, filaments distinct to slightly connate. 1 Carpel, ovary is superior (can appear inferior due to association to tube-like tepal) Stimga capitate, 1 campylotropus ovule. Nectar disk present
Leaf characters
opposite, simple, entire. Pinnate venation
Stipules
absent
Fruit characters
Achene or nut, enclosed in leathery-fleshy proximal portion of tepals, with sometimes 5 lines of sticky, glandular-headed or hooked hairs.
Glands
absent
Hairs
present; on fruits
Latex
absent
Uses
Mainly ornamentals: Bougainvillea spectabilis/glabra, Mirabilis jalapa/coccinea, Abrovia sp. Tuberous roots of Mirabilis jalapa source of purgative drug. Leaves of Pisonia grandis/alba used as vegetable. Deconcotion of leaves from Pisonia aculeata/capitate used against various complaints
Chemical characters
Contains betalaine, responsible for colors of leaves and fruits
Distribution maps
(online von http://www.mobot.org/MOBOT/research/APweb/ . Dort zitiert wie unter jedem Diagramm vermerkt):
Nyctaginaceae
map: see Stemmerik 1964; George 1984; Fl. N. Am. 4: 2003; Culham 2007
