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Botanical Family · Brassicales

Capparaceae

Caper Family

31 speciesOrder Brassicales8+ well-known plants

The caper family of trees, shrubs, and climbers characteristic of dry, arid, and rocky habitats. Capers (Capparis spinosa) are the pickled flower buds widely used in Mediterranean cuisine. Most members have 4 petals, long protruding stamens, and a gynophore (stalk below the ovary).

Browse all 31 species ↓
Representative CAPPARACEAE specimen
Representative specimen · Capparaceae
Key pattern

Alternate simple leaves on shrubs and trees adapted to dry, rocky habitats; flowers show four clawed petals and a ring of many long stamens that project well past the petals on a stalked ovary (gynophore), giving the flower a spidery, exploded look.

Pickled flower buds and immature fruit (capers) come from the same acrid, mustard-oil-bearing tissues found throughout the family — a chemical defence shared with its mustard-family relatives.

Identify the species

Which Capparaceae species is this?

Answer what you can see and narrow it down to a single Capparaceae species.

Click a node to trace its path · pinch or scroll to zoom · drag to pan
Leaf ShapeWhat shape are the leaves?
Leafless/reduced (green stems)
Ovate
Palmately compound (five+ leaflets)
Simple oval/round
Simple oval/round, large
Simple oval/round, oblong
Simple oval/round, slender
Simple oval/round, small
Trifoliate (three leaflets)
HabitWhat is the plant's growth habit?
Herb, weedy
Shrub
Flower ColorWhat color are the flowers?
Pink
Purple/pink
White
Yellow
HabitWhat is the plant's growth habit?
Herb
Herb, tall
HabitWhat is the plant's growth habit?
Herb
Scrambling/climbing shrub
Shrub
Tree
Flower ColorWhat color are the flowers?
Purple/pink
Yellow
ThornsDoes the plant have thorns or spines?
No thorns
Not sure / other
Yes, hooked spines
HabitWhat is the plant's growth habit?
Herb
Shrub
Tree

How to recognise the Capparaceae family

  • 01

    Long exserted stamens, conspicuous gynophore

  • 02

    4 petals, often with long claws

  • 03

    Adapted to dry, rocky, or saline habitats

Typical leaf characters

Characters typical of the family — individual species can vary.

Typical flower & fruit

Typical of the family — flowering plants only; species can vary.

Notable members

Indian CadabaCadaba fruticosaThree-Leaf CadabaCadaba trifoliataIndian CaperCapparis brevispinaCaper PlantCapparis deciduaSpreading CaperCapparis divaricataLarge-Petal CaperCapparis grandifloraTree CaperCapparis grandisLarge CaperCapparis moonii

All 31 species in CAPPARACEAE

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