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Botanical Family · Celastrales

Celastraceae

Staff-Tree Family

22 speciesOrder Celastrales8+ well-known plants

The Celastraceae family (Staff-Tree Family) is a botanical family placed in the order Celastrales. In the SASYA catalogue it spans 22 species across 11 genera. Members range from trees to shrubs. Well-represented genera include Maytenus, Euonymus and Microtropis. Several members are valued in traditional medicine. Familiar examples include Ceylon Teak, Panicled Cassine and Arabian Tea.

Browse all 22 species ↓
Representative CELASTRACEAE specimen
Representative specimen · Celastraceae
Key pattern

Simple, usually toothed leaves on woody climbers, shrubs, or trees; small inconspicuous flowers sit on a fleshy nectar disc and ripen into a capsule that splits open to reveal seeds wrapped in a bright, fleshy aril.

The brightly coloured aril around each seed — often orange or red against a split pink or orange capsule — is the family's most eye-catching field mark, evolved to attract seed-dispersing birds.

Identify the species

Which Celastraceae species is this?

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

Click a node to trace its path · pinch or scroll to zoom · drag to pan
HabitWhat is the plant's growth habit?
Shrub
Shrub/small tree
Shrub/tree
Tree
Tree/shrub
Woody climbing vine
Leaf ShapeWhat shape are the leaves?
Elliptic
Glossy oval
Glossy oval, opposite arrangement
ThornsDoes the plant have thorns or spines?
No thorns
Yes, spiny branches
ThornsDoes the plant have thorns or spines?
No thorns
Yes, spiny branches
Leaf ShapeWhat shape are the leaves?
Broad, egg-shaped (ovate)
Glossy oval
Leaf ShapeWhat shape are the leaves?
Elliptic
Glossy oval
Glossy oval, blue-green (glaucous)
Obovate
Ovate
Leaf ShapeWhat shape are the leaves?
Broad
Glossy oval

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

Ceylon TeakCassine glaucaPanicled CassineCassine paniculataArabian TeaCatha edulisBlack Oil Plant, Climbing Staff Plant, Intellect PlantCelastrus paniculatusBlack Oil Plant, Climbing Staff Plant, Intellect PlantCelastrus paniculatus subsp. aggregatusIndian Spindle TreeEuonymus indicusJapanese Spindle TreeEuonymus japonicusConfetti SpikethornGymnosporia montana

All 22 species in CELASTRACEAE

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