Page 55 - e-Book

African continent is considered as the origin of Combretaceae, which have emerged from the

split of the super continent Gondwana. The flora of Kerala is also derived from the original
Gondwana land mass, it is reflected in the distribution of Combretaceae family through the

region with about 16 species in 6 genera.

The family was described by Robert Brown in 1810, and it is included in the order

Myrtales. Combretaceae is differentiating from other families by usually having simple,
entire and petiolate leaf; small flowers with inferior ovary; nature of the hypanthium which is

divided into two regions such as a lower surrounding the ovary and an upper narrowed into a
shorter or longer tube finished the calyx lobes; long, straight and sharply pointed, unicellular

thick walled trichomes with a conical internal compartment at the base. The members of the

family are with or without stalked glands or glandular scales. The species of the family are
woody trees to lianas and sub shrubs. The plants are non-sacculent, self supporting or

climbing. Engler and Diels (1899) proposed two sub families viz, Strephonematoideae and
Combretoideae, the sub family Strephonematoideae contains single African genus,

Strephonema with 6 species. Terminalieae, Combreteae, Laguncularieae and Calicopterideae

are the tribes encompass in the sub family Combretoideae. Mangrove genera of the family
such as Lumintzera (2 Sps) and monotypic genera, Laguncularia are predominantly placed in

tribe Laguncularieae. The sub family Combretoideae is taxonomically and phylogenetically
complex group. Morphologically, species of this group are not always easy to recognize

because of their wide variation in flower, fruit, vegetative morphology, anatomy and

geographic distribution. Wickens (1973) and Fyhrquist (2007) stated that the flowers of
Terminalia are remarkably uniform throughout the genus and scarcely ever provide any

taxonomically useful characters, therefore, be placed on leaf, bark and fruit characters for
identification of taxa.

Species of the family are highly prized for their medicinal value because of their bitter
principles. Several species are valued as timber trees in various markets, some are edible,

important ornamental plants and also used for tanning and dying purposes. Two main food
plants of Tassar silkworm are Terminalia cuneata and T. elliptica. The various members

contain flavanoids, terpenoids, tannins and alkaloids. The therapeutic activity of the chemical

compounds present in the members ranges from simple antidiarrheal to anticarcenogenic
activity. Many of the species are reputed to contain antimicrobial constitutes and some have

substantial antifungal activity, hence they are used in traditional medicine. There are number
of formulation containing the herbs or their extracts belonging to this family. The fruits of

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