Shrubs or trees, sometimes subshrubs or herbs. Leaves alternate, sometimes opposite, simple, sometimes pinnately compound; stipules present or absent. Flowers: torus absent or minute; carpels 1–5 (–8), distinct or moreorless connate (Maleae), free or moreorless adnate to hypanthium (many Maleae), styles distinct or moreorless connate (some Maleae); ovules (1 or) 2 (–5+), collateral, clustered, or biseriate. Fruits follicles aggregated or not, capsules, drupes aggregated or not, aggregated drupelets, pomes, or aggregated nutlets, rarely achenes or aggregated achenes; styles persistent or deciduous, not elongate (elongate in Gillenieae). x = 8, 9, 15, 17.

Distribution

North America, Mexico, Central America, South America, Europe, Asia, Africa, Atlantic Islands (Madeira), Pacific Islands (Hawaii), Australia

Discussion

Cyanogenic glycosides are usually present in Amygdaloideae; sorbitol is present.

The name Amygdaloideae Arnott (1832) has priority over Spiraeoideae Arnott (1832), used by D. Potter et al. (2007), because Amygdalaceae (1820) is an earlier conserved name.

Tribes 9, genera 55, species ca. 1300 (9 tribes, 38 genera, 361 species, including 20 hybrids, in the flora)

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

Rosaceae tribe Amygdaleae, Rosaceae tribe Exochordeae, Rosaceae tribe Gillenieae, Rosaceae tribe Kerrieae, Rosaceae tribe Lyonothamneae, Rosaceae tribe Neillieae, Rosaceae tribe Sorbarieae, Rosaceae tribe Spiraeeae

"thin" is not a number.