Anisophyllea is a genus of tropical shrubs and trees in the family Anisophylleaceae (sometimes placed within Rhizophoraceae in older classifications), comprising approximately 36 accepted species. The genus name comes from the Greek words for "unequal leaf," a reference to the characteristic leaf dimorphism seen across its members.
Plants in this genus grow as shrubs or trees with smooth to flaky bark. The flowers are unisexual, and the fruits are drupes — fleshy, pitted structures that are ellipsoid or pear-shaped in form.
Anisophyllea is distributed across the Old World tropics, with species found in Africa, India, Sri Lanka, mainland Southeast Asia, Sumatra, and Borneo. They are typical of lowland and hill forest environments, occurring from sea level up to around 1,000 metres elevation.
Etymology
The name Anisophyllea derives from the Greek anisos ("unequal") and phyllon ("leaf"), referring to the dimorphism of the leaves observed in species of this genus.
Distribution
Anisophyllea species occur across the Old World tropics, with a range spanning Africa, India, Sri Lanka, mainland Southeast Asia, and the islands of Sumatra and Borneo. They inhabit lowland and hill forests from sea level to approximately 1,000 metres (3,300 ft) altitude.
Taxonomy Notes
Anisophyllea has historically been placed in its own family, Anisophylleaceae, though some classifications (including the GBIF backbone under key 315227846) have treated it within the broader Rhizophoraceae. The majority of current taxonomic treatments recognize Anisophylleaceae as a distinct family. The Plant List recognized approximately 36 accepted species as of 2014.
