Acridocarpus Guill. & Perr.

de Almeida, Rafael F., Rasambo, Sedera Norotiana, Elliott, Kelda, Pellegrini, Marco O. O., Rakotonirina, Nivohenintsoa, Randriamboavonjy, Tiana, Rajaonah, Mamy Tiana, Andrianantenaina, Miantsa, Randrianarimanana, Noro Fenitra, Rakotomalala, Nantenaina Herizo, Rakotondratsimba, Mbola, Ranaivoson, Sedera Ny Aina, Randriatsarazaka, Tafitaniaina, Goyder, David & Vorontsova, Maria S., 2025, Historical biogeography and character-mapping of Acridocarpus (Malpighiaceae) evidence a revised infrageneric classification system and shifts in African biomes from the Eocene to the Miocene, Plant Ecology and Evolution 158 (3), pp. 428-444 : 428-444

Acridocarpus Guill. & Perr. , nom. cons. ( Guillemin and Perrottet 1831: 123)

Anomalopterys (DC.) G. Don ( Don 1831: 647) – Heteropterys sect. Anomalopterys DC. ( De Candolle 1824: 592) – Type species: Anomalopterys spicata G. Don, nom. superfl. [ Acridocarpus smeathmannii (DC.) Guill. & Perr.].

Rhinopteryx Nied. ( Niedenzu 1896: 352) – Type species: Rhinopteryx spectabilis Nied. [ Acridocarpus spectabilis (Nied.) Doorn-Hoekm.].

Type species

Acridocarpus plagiopterus Guill. & Perr.

Diagnosis

Acridocarpus is characterised by its tree, shrub to lianescent habit, leaves alternate, usually abaxially glandular near the midvein and base, long to short thyrses, bracteoles 0–2 glandular, sepals 0–5 glandular, nectar-secreting, posterior petals 2, erect, lateral petals patent, all petals with margins crenate to dentate, stamens 10, filaments heteromorphic in length, anthers poricidal, pollen parasyncolporate, gynoecium 3 - carpellate, styles 2, erect and curved inwards, mericarps with dorsal wing well-developed, and lateral wings absent ( Niedenzu 1928).

Distribution

Acridocarpus is currently composed of 36 accepted species (19 of which are threatened; POWO 2025) distributed in continental Africa, Madagascar, the Arabian Peninsula, Iran, and Oceania (i. e. New Caledonia) ( Almeida et al. 2024 a; POWO 2025).

Habitat and ecology

Acridocarpus comprises species of trees, shrubs, scandent shrubs, or lianas that are endemic to rainforests, savannas, and seasonally dry tropical forests ( Almeida et al. 2024 a; POWO 2025).

Notes

There is no updated identification key for all species of Acridocarpus , but Niedenzu’s (1928) treatment covers 25 out of the 36 currently accepted species.