Alzatea

Alzatea verticillata is a small flowering tree, native to the Neotropics. It inhabits moist submontane forests from Costa Rica and Panama in Central America south to Peru and Bolivia in tropical South America. It is the sole species of genus Alzatea and family Alzateaceae.

Alzatea
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Rosids
Order:	Myrtales
Family:	Alzateaceae S.A.Graham
Genus:	Alzatea Ruiz & Pav.
Species:	A. verticillata
Binomial name
Alzatea verticillata Ruiz & Pav.
Subspecies[2]
Alzatea verticillata subsp. amplifolia S.A.Graham Alzatea verticillata subsp. verticillata
Synonyms[2]
Alzatea mexicana F.Dietr., nom. illeg.

Description

Alzatea verticillata has opposite, obovate or elliptical leaves. Its flowers are actinomorphic and bisexual, and lack a corolla. The flowers and fruit are similar to the Myrtaceae but the ovary is superior. The fruit is a loculicidal capsule.^[3]

The closest relatives of Alzatea are in the families Penaeaceae, Oliniaceae, Rhynchocalycaceae of southern Africa.