Mayacaceae

Taxonomy

Family name: Mayacaceae K. Kunth

Synonym(s): [none]

Common name(s): mayaca family

*Number of genera/species: 1/6

List of genera records in GRIN-Global

Disseminule

seed

Description

Fruit indehiscentindehiscent:
not opening on its own, as in a fruit
, loculicidalloculicidal:
type of capsular dehiscence, opening longitudinally through the locules (compare septicidal)
capsulecapsule:
a dry, dehiscent fruit formed by two or more carpels
, sometimes foraminicidalforaminicidal:
type of capsular dehiscence, fruits opening irregularly
, 2–6 mm long, globoseglobose:
3D shape—more or less spherical
to ellipsoidellipsoid:
3D shape—elliptic
, often appearing lumpy, sometimes with persistent perianthperianth:
collective term for calyx and corolla of a flower
. Pericarppericarp:
fruit wall or fruit coat
membranousmembranous:
texture—extremely thin, pliable, and fairly tough
and pubescentpubescent:
surface relief—bearing hairs
.

Seed globoseglobose:
3D shape—more or less spherical
to ovoidovoid:
3D shape—ovate
, tereteterete:
approximately circular in cross section; width and thickness approximately equal
in transectiontransection:
a cross section; representing a plane made by cutting across an organ at a right angle to its length
, 0.75–2.5 mm long, minutely beakedbeaked:
a usually firm, terminal appendage, sometimes tapered
(beak, 0.15–0.4 mm long), which is often misinterpreted as an operculumoperculum:
a dehiscent cap (or lid) of a seed or fruit that opens during germination or dehiscence
. Seed coat black, brown, or red, dulldull:
reflecting only a low proportion of incident light, with no apparent sheen
, thickthick:
having or being of relatively great depth
, usually pittedpitted:
surface relief—surface with small depressions in which the areas between the hollows do not take on the appearance of a true reticular net
or reticulatereticulate:
surface relief—netted, raised walls or concave grooves forming a net-like surface pattern with flat, concave, or convex interspaces
, ribbedribbed:
surface relief—wide, prominent, linear ridges that are generally rounded and longitudinally situated on the surface
, wrinkledwrinkled:
surface relief—shallow, irregular folds and furrows covering the surface; appearing overall though crumpled and then spread out
, or striatestriate:
surface relief—having fine, parallel lines, grooves or ridges
.

Embryo rudimentaryrudimentary:
(of embryo) embryo is small and fills less than a quarter of the seed and can be variable in shapes, such as linear, spatulate, or oval
, discoiddiscoid:
3D shape—resembling a disc
, basalbasal:
at or pertaining to the point of attachment; (of embryo) embryo occupies one end of the seed
, capping one end of endospermendosperm:
nutritive starch- and oil-containing tissue present in many seeds
at the micropylar end. Endospermendosperm:
nutritive starch- and oil-containing tissue present in many seeds
copious, mealy. 

Identification features

Fruit
Type	capsulecapsule: a dry, dehiscent fruit formed by two or more carpels
Size range	2–6 mm long
Shape(s)	globose, ellipsoid
Texture	membranousmembranous: texture—extremely thin, pliable, and fairly tough
Surface relief	pubescentpubescent: surface relief—bearing hairs
Unique features	Membranous, pubescentpubescent: surface relief—bearing hairs capsulescapsules: a dry, dehiscent fruit formed by two or more carpels with few to many seeds. Shape of seeds through thinthin: having or being of relatively little depth pericarppericarp: fruit wall or fruit coat may give capsulescapsules: a dry, dehiscent fruit formed by two or more carpels a lumpy appearance.
Seed
Size range	0.75–2.5 mm long
Shape(s)	globose, ovoid
Surface relief	reticulate, ribbedribbed: surface relief—wide, prominent, linear ridges that are generally rounded and longitudinally situated on the surface , wrinkledwrinkled: surface relief—shallow, irregular folds and furrows covering the surface; appearing overall though crumpled and then spread out , striatestriate: surface relief—having fine, parallel lines, grooves or ridges , pitted
Color(s)	black, brown, red
Unique features	Small globoseglobose: 3D shape—more or less spherical to ovoidovoid: 3D shape—ovate seeds, minutely beakedbeaked: a usually firm, terminal appendage, sometimes tapered (0.15–0.4 mm long) with thickthick: having or being of relatively great depth , pittedpitted: surface relief—surface with small depressions in which the areas between the hollows do not take on the appearance of a true reticular net seed coats.
Other
Embryo	rudimentary, discoiddiscoid: 3D shape—resembling a disc , basalbasal: at or pertaining to the point of attachment; (of embryo) embryo occupies one end of the seed , capping one end of endospermendosperm: nutritive starch- and oil-containing tissue present in many seeds at the micropylar end
Nutritive tissuenutritive tissue: tissue within the seeds that nourishes the developing embryo; such as endosperm, perisperm, or chalazosperm in angiosperms; megagametophyte in gymnosperms	endosperm endosperm: nutritive starch- and oil-containing tissue present in many seeds copious, mealy

Distribution

Tropical America, one species in Africa.

Distribution map courtesy of Angiosperm Phylogeny Website.

References

Baskin and Baskin 2021Baskin and Baskin 2021:
Baskin C and Baskin J. 2021. Relationship of the lateral embryo (in grasses) to other monocot embryos: A status up-grade. Seed Science Research 31 (3): 199-210. doi:10.1017/S0960258521000209; Dahlgren et al. 1985Dahlgren et al. 1985:
Dahlgren RMT, Clifford HT, and Yeo PF. 1985. The families of the monocotyledons: structure, evolution, and taxonomy. Springer-Verlag, Berlin. 520 pp.; Davidse et al. 2009–2018Davidse et al. 2009–2018:
Davidse GM, Sousa Sánchez M, Knapp S. and Chiang Cabrera F, eds. 2009–2018. Flora Mesoamericana. Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO. Accessed: January–April 2024. URL: http://legacy.tropicos.org/Project/FM; Flora of North America Editorial Committee 1993+Flora of North America Editorial Committee 1993+:
Flora of North America Editorial Committee, eds. 1993+. Flora of North America North of Mexico [Online]. 22+ vols. Flora of North America Association, New York and Oxford. Accessed January-March 2024. URL: http://beta.floranorthamerica.org.; Kirkbride et al. 2006Kirkbride et al. 2006:
Kirkbride JH, Jr, Gunn CR, and Dallwitz MJ. 2006. Family guide for fruits and seeds, vers. 1.0. Accessed September 2020-January 2022. URL: https://nt.ars-grin.gov/seedsfruits/keys/frsdfam/index.cfm .; Kubitzki et al. 1990+Kubitzki et al. 1990+:
Kubitzki K et al., eds. 1990+. The families and genera of vascular plants. 7+ vols. Berlin etc.; Stevenson and Loconte 1995Stevenson and Loconte 1995:
Stevenson DW and Loconte H. 1995. A cladistic analysis of monocot families. In: Rudall PJ, Cribb PJ, Cutler DF, and Humphries CJ, eds. Monocotyledons: Systematics and Evolution. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

*The number of genera and species is based on Christenhusz and Byng 2016Christenhusz and Byng 2016:
Christenhusz MJM and Byng JW. 2016. The number of known plant species in the world and its annual increase. Phytotaxa 261 (3): 201-217. https://doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.261.3.1, which may differ from the number of genera in GRIN-Global.