Corbichoniaceae

Corbichoniaceae is a small family of flowering plants in the order Caryophyllales. The family is poorly known and comprises a limited number of genera, with Corbichonia generally regarded as the flagship genus. Taxonomic placement has been fluid; while many sources treat Corbichoniaceae as a distinct family, others place its members within Molluginaceae or related lineages in the broader Caryophyllales complex. Recent molecular studies have sought to clarify relationships, but consensus remains incomplete.

The distribution of Corbichoniaceae is tropical and subtropical, with species recorded from parts of Africa, Asia, and the Americas. Members are typically herbaceous plants that occupy diverse habitats, including open, sandy soils and rocky substrates, often in seasonally dry environments.

Morphology: Plants in this group are generally small and herbaceous. Leaves, when present, are simple and may be opposite or alternate. Flowers are usually tiny and inconspicuous, often with limited perianth parts; the fruit tends to be a capsule containing a few seeds. Because many species are difficult to distinguish morphologically, identification relies on a combination of characters and, increasingly, molecular data.

Genera: The best-known genus is Corbichonia. The family comprises a small number of genera, though exact circumscription varies by classification system.