Region: Somalia, Ethiopia, Arabian.
Genus: 1 species.
TaxonomyBarbeya has been difficult to classify. It was placed in the monotypic order Barbeyales or put inside the Hamamelididae in the
Urticales.
The
Apg3 classification places Barbeya in its own family
Barbeyaceae, in rosales. It is closely related to
Rhamnaceae.
BotanyHabitat: between dry forests and lower-elevation evergreen bushlands.
Small tree, similar to the olive tree.
Leaves: simple, lanceolate, pinnate, smooth margin; dioecious; lower surface is hairy white; stipules absent.
Inflorescence: cymose.
Flowers: small, unisexual, radial, pendant; support and cover sheets are missing; seals 3 or 4, fused, much longer than the calyx; petals absent.
Male flowers: 6 to 9 free, fertile stamens, with very short filaments.
Pollen: 3 apertures; colporat.
Carpels: 1, sometimes 2 or 3 fused ones.
into an ovary if there is more than one; apical placentation; hanging, anatrope ovule available.
Fruit: encased by the perianth; alone or 2 to 3 together, fused at their base.
Pollination: by wind.