The Combretaceae family includes about 530 species of trees, shrubs, and lianas within 10 genera found in subtropical and tropical regions. Some members produce useful timber. The family is characterized by pentamerous flowers with 4-5 sepals and stamens in two series of 4, 5, 8 or 10. The fruit is a leathery, one-seeded drupe. Combretum indicum is a creeping sub-scandent shrub cultivated for its sweet-scented flowers. It has opposite leaves and pentamerous flowers with 10 free stamens in two whorls. The Combretaceae have economic importance as a food source, medicine, gum, timber,

1. COMBRETACEAE
SELVAM G IM.sc BOTANY,
BHARATHIDASAN
UNIVERSITY
TRICHY,TAMILNADU

2. SYSTEMATIC POSSITION
 Kingdom : Plantae
 Division : Angiospermae
 Class : Dicotyledons
 Sub class : Polypetalae
 Order : Myrtales
 Family :Combretaceae – Indian
Almond family

3. Distribution of Combretaceae
 The Combretaceae are a family of flowering plants in the
order Myrtales.
 The family includes about 530 species of trees, shrubs, and
lianas in 10 genera.
 The family includes the leadwood tree, Combretum imberbe.
 The Combretaceae are widespread in the subtropics and
tropics.
 Some members of this family produce useful construction
timber, such as idigbo from Terminalia ivorensis.
 The commonly cultivated Quisqualis indica is now placed in
the genus Combretum.

4. Characters of Combretaceae
 Flower pentamerous
 sepals 4-5, valvate
 petals, small sometimes absent
 stamens 10 in two series
 Carpel one, inferior, unilocular
 fruit 2-5 angled.

5. Vegetative characters
 Habit: Mainly trees of
shrubs, sometimes sub-
scandent.
 Root: Tap, deep and
branched.
 Stem: Erect, hard and
woody or sometimes weak
and sub-scandent.
 Leaf: Simple, entire,
alternate or opposite,

6. Floral characters
 Inflorescence: Racemose, paniculate
or spicate.

7.  Flower: Actinomorphic rarely
zygomorphic, hermaphrodite sometimes
unisexual by abortion, epigynous; floral
axis is carried above the ovary forming a
tube.

8.  Calyx: Sepals 4-5, rarely more, united
to form a calyx tube adnate to ovary ;
valvate, persistent.
 Corolla: Petals are usually small, as
many as sepals and alternating with
them, either valvate or imbricate in
aestivation, sometimes absent,
polypetalous.

9.  Androecium: Stamens 4, 5, 8 or 10,
rarely many, , in two whorls (when 8 or
10), filaments are curved inwards in
bud, anthers bithecal, versatile;
stamens when in two whorls, often
obdiplostemonous.

10. Gynoecium
 Monocarpellary; ovary inferior, 1-celled,
generally angled, the angles equal in
number and alternating with calyx-
segments.
 ovules 2-5, rarely more, anatropous,
pendulous from the top of the ovary on
long, often united funicles.
 style one, long, filiform bearing a pointed,
rarely a capitate stigma.

11.  Fruit: Leathery, one seeded drupe having
angled or winged pericarp.
 Seed: Non-endospermic; spirally twisted
cotyledens.
 Pollination: Entomophilous.

12. Combretum indicum (Rangoon-Creeper)

13. SYSTEMATIC POSSITION
 Kingdom : Plantae
 Division : Angiospermae
 Class : Dicotyledons
 Sub class : Polypetalae
 Order : Myrtales
 Family :Combretaceae – Indian
Almond family
 Genus :Combritum
 Species :indicum

14. Vegetative characters
 Habit: A creeping sub-scadent shrub,
commonly planted in the gardens.
 Root: Tap-root.
 Stem: Weak, sub-scadent.
 Leaf: Opposite, superposed, simple, ovate,
entire, exstipulate, unicostate reticulate.

15. Inflorescence
 Dense racemose clusters of sweet-
scented flowers.

16.  Flower: Bracteate, bisexual, regular,
epigynous, pentamerous.

17.  Calyx: Sepals 5, calyx-tube adnate to
the ovary, lobes reflexed. superior.

18.  Corolla: Petals 5, white at first,
turning pink, alternating with the
sepals, superior, imbricate in bud.

19.  Androecium: Stamens ten, free in
two whorls, the upper opposite the
petals and the lower opposite the
sepals, filaments long, anthers
dorsifixed, superior.

20.  Gynoecium: Monocarpellary, ovary 1-
celled, inferior, 5-angled, angles
alternating with calyx segments;
ovules pendulous from the top of the
ovary on long united funicles; style
one, long filiform; stigma minute,
capitate.

21.  Fruit: Five-angled, one-seeded
achene.

22.  Seed: Small, non-endospermic.

24. Economic Importance of
Combretaceae
 1. Food:
The fruits of Terminalia catappa –
Indian almond H. Jungali badam are
edible.
 2. Medicinal:
Terminalia is the most important
medicinal plant. The bark of Terminalia
arjuna is used as cardiac tonic.

25.  3. Gum:
The fruits of T. bellirica constitute one of
the myrobalans (an adhesive) of
commerce.
The gum exuding from the trunk of
Anogeissus latifolia is used in cali
coprinting, paper-sizing and
confectionery.
 4. Timber:
The wood obtained from T. bialata and T.
belerica is used for cabinet work furniture
and interior fittings.

26.  5. Tannin:
The young fruits of T. alata, T. arjuna,
T. chebule, etc. are used for tanning
and dyeing.
 6. Ornamental:
Quisqualis indica (Rangoon creeper),
Terminalia arjuna (Arjun), Bucida,
Combretum are of ornamental value.