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The Didiereaceae are a small family of just four genera and 11 species of flowering plants endemic to south and southwest Madagascar, where they form an important component of the Madagascar spiny forests. Molecular studies have shown the genus ''Portulacaria'' (previously in Portulacaceae) is part of this family, thus extending its distribution beyond the island of Madagascar. In addition, phylogenetic studies have shown that the genus ''Ceraria'' is located within ''Portulacaria'' genus, and therefore extends both genus and family still further.〔P.Bruyns, M.Oliveira-Neto, G.F. Melo de Pinna, C.Klak: ''Phylogenetic relationships in the Didiereaceae with special reference to subfamily Portulacarioideae''. Taxon 63 (5). October 2014. 1053-1064.〕 ==Description== The plants are spiny succulent shrubs and trees from 2–20 m tall, with thick water-storing stems and leaves that are deciduous in the long dry season. Some species build a distinct youth form as small procumbent shrubs before a dominant stem is produced. All species are dioecious (''Decaria'' female-dioecious). The leaves, produced from the brachyblasts (much like the areoles found in cacti), are small, appear single or in pairs and are accompanied by conical spines. The flowers are unisexual (except from ''Decaria'') and radially symmetric. The family is also closely related to the New World family Cactaceae (cacti), sufficiently closely so that the species of Didiereaceae can be grafted successfully on some cacti. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Didiereaceae」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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