Capparaceae
General description:
Represented in Saudi Arabia by 5 genera.
Diagnostic description:
Herbs, erect or scandent shrubs or trees. Leaves alternate, rarely opposite, stipulate, simple or 2-7-foliolate, digitate compound. Inflorescence axillary or terminal racemes or axillary solitary or clusters. Flowers bisexual (in one genus, Dhofaria A. Miller, unisexual and bisexual) or some flowers functionally male with arrested development of gynaecium, actinomorphic to zygomorphic. Calyx of 4, free or fused sepals. Corolla of 4, free petals or missing; the petals clawed or not. Stamens a few to many, often borne on an androphore. Ovary sessile or borne on a prominent gynophore, 1-several-celled; ovules a few to many on perietal placentation. Fruit a capsule or a berry or a nutlet or woody.