Spermatophyta: Dicotyledonae: Archichlamydeae: Zygophyllales

Balanitaceae - Torchwood family

Launert, E. (1963) Balanitaceae Flora Zambesiaca 2(1)

Sands, M.J.S. (1989) Balanitaceae Flora of Ethiopia, vol. 3 Addis Ababa University and Uppsala University

Sands, M.J.S. (2001) The Desert Date and its relatives: a revision of the genus Balanites Kew Bulletin 56(1) 1-128

Description of the family

Trees or shrubs, with simple or forked spines. Stipules 0. Leaves alternate, 2-foliolate. Leaflets coriaceous, entire. Flowers bisexual, actinomorphic. Sepals 5, free. Petals 5, free. Stamens 10. Disk succulent, longitudinally 10-grooved. Ovary superior, 5-locular. Fruit a 1-seeded drupe.

Worldwide: 1 genus and 25 species, tropical Africa to Burma.

Zambia: 1 genus and 3 taxa.

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Links to genera: View: living plant images - herbarium specimen images - all images for this family

Genus	Content
Balanites Delile	Description

Other sources of information about Balanitaceae:

Our websites:

Flora of Botswana: Balanitaceae
Flora of Caprivi: Balanitaceae
Flora of Malawi: Balanitaceae
Flora of Mozambique: Balanitaceae
Flora of Zimbabwe: Balanitaceae

External websites:

African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg): Balanitaceae
BHL (Biodiversity Heritage Library): Balanitaceae
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Balanitaceae
GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility): Balanitaceae
Google: Web - Images - Scholar
iNaturalist: Balanitaceae
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Balanitaceae
JSTOR Plant Science: Balanitaceae
Mansfeld World Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops: Balanitaceae
Wikipedia: Balanitaceae
Plants of the World Online: Balanitaceae
Tropicos: Balanitaceae