MORINGACEAE
Morphological description
Treelets, usually deciduous.
Leaves
Leaves spiral, 2- 4-pinnate, rachis thickened at nodes, exstipulate.
Inflorescence
Inflorescence.
Flowers
Flower bisexual, zygomorphic, 5-merous; petals free, 5 oppositipetalous stamens, 5 staminodes; ovary superior, 1-celled, ovules many on three parietal placentas.
Fruit
Fruit a linear capsule.
Seed
Usually seeds 3-winged.
Different from: Bignoniaceae: leaves opposite, flowers sympetalous. — Capparaceae: leaves not pinnate. — Leguminosae: stipulate, one placenta.
Distribution: The natural range of the family is from Madagascar to NE Africa and India; in Malesia Moringa oleifera is only known in cultivation.
Notes: The young leaves and pods are eaten as a vegetable; roots and bark are used medicinally. — Fruits and seeds are used for water purification.
Literature: C.G.G. J. van Steenis, Fl. Males. I, 4 (1949) 45- 46.
Spot characters (Van Balgooy): 31, 42, 50, 97, 102.
Illustrations: Fig. 112. Moringa oleifera Lam., flowering branch and fruit.
Image in PhytoImages for Moringaceae