Carnegiea gigantea, Giant Saguaro

Southwest Desert Flora

Home to the plants of the Sonoran, Chihuahuan and Mojave Deserts

Cirsium ochrocentrum, Yellowspine Thistle

Adoxaceae, Moschatel or Muskroot Family
(Previously Caprifoliaceae, Honeysuckle Family)

The Adoxaceae also called the Moschatel or Muskroot family has opposite simple leaves with entire margins often toothed or lobed. Typical flowers have 5 petals or less common 4 petals. The flowers usually in a cymose inflorescence and the fruits are a drupe.

Adoxaceae species were originally placed in the Caprifoliaceae or Honeysuckle Family which now includes Sambucus, the Elderberries and Viburnum, popular cultivated ornamental plants with showy fragrant flowers. The shift to Adoxaceae from Caprifoliaceae is based on molecular evidence.

The Adoxaceae is a small family containing four genera with less than 200 species.

  • Sambucus nigra ssp. cerulea, Blue Elderberry

  • References: , updated 08/6/2017
    The Plant List. A working list of all known plant species. [accessed 15 February 2015]
    http://www.theplantlist.org/browse/A/Adoxaceae/
    Wikipedia contributors, 'Adoxaceae', Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 28 January 2015, 14:02 UTC,
    [accessed 15 February 2015]
    U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service on-line database – ITIS search