Article
Article
Cyclanthales
Article By:
Cronquist, Arthur New York Botanical Garden, New York, New York.
Last reviewed:December 2019
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1036/1097-8542.175800
An order of flowering plants, division Magnoliophyta (Angiospermae), sometimes called Synanthae or Synanthales, in the subclass Arecidae of the class Liliopsida (monocotyledons). The order consists of the single tropical American family Cyclanthaceae, with about 180 species. They are herbs or, seldom, more or less woody plants, with characteristic leaves that have a basal sheath, a petiole and an expanded, usually bifid (cleft into two equal parts) blade which is often folded lengthwise (plicate) like that of a palm leaf. The numerous, small, unisexual flowers are crowded into a spadix which serves as a sort of pseudanthium. One of the species, Carludovicia palmata, is a principal source of fiber for panama hats. See also: Arecidae; Liliopsida; Magnoliophyta; Plant kingdom
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