THE DISTRIBUTION AND ORIGIN OF FLACOURTIACEAE

This paper deals with the distribution and origin of Flacourtiaccae. 84 genera are classified into 11 area patterns and 27 subpatterns. Based on the analysis on the area patterns above, floristic characteristics of this family have been found as follow: 1. Flacourtiaceae is a tropical family. There are 72 genera, 85.7% of the total for the family, occuring in both the old world and new world tropics, and only 12 genera in the temperate region. 2. Island floristic element is rich. 14 island endemic genera, 16.7% of the total, occur in some islands, such as Madagascar, Rounion, Philippines, Srilanka, Maleysia etc.. Some other genera in different continents also occur in some islands such as west Indies, Juan Fermandez, Madagascar, Malaysia etc..3. Old world tropics, especially tropical Africa is a distributional centre of this family. There are 58 genera in the old world, 21 genera in the new world, and 28 genera in tropical Africa, 14 genera in tropical Asia, and 1 genus, in Australia. 4. Area patterns are various (11 area patterns and 27 subpatterns), and widely connected with those of the adjoining areas. This family might be originated in antique southern continent, especially in tropical Africa. Antique northern continent has not any old and primitive endemic elements from Flacourtiaceae, and antique southern continent has many primitive genera such as Berberidopsis, Lindackeria, Erythrospermum etc., and tropical Africa has 28 endemic genera, many of which. such as Camptostylla, Dasylepis, Scottelia, Buchnerodendron, Caloncoba, Grandidera, etc. are very old and primitive. The originated time might be early Tertiary or late Cretaceous. The genera such as Berberidopsis occuring in tropical southern America and Australia, Erythrospermum in tropical Asia and tropical Africa (Madagascar), Lindacheria in tropical America and tropical Africa etc. might serve as an indication that Flacourtiaceae is dispersed to different continents from antique southern continent before Tertiary period or late Cretaceous. These views are supported by Pollin fossil evidence.