Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jul 18, 2026

Denhamia

Denhamia is a genus of plants within the family Celastraceae, with species in Australia, New Guinea, and New Caledonia. The species inhabit a variety of environments, from rainforest to semi-arid savanna. All species grow as shrubs or small trees up to 10 metres in height. 18 species are currently accepted. Based on a molecular and morphological analysis, the genus was enlarged in 2011 to include several Australian and Pacific island species formerly classified as Maytenus – Denhamia bilocularis, D. cunninghamii, D. cupularis, D. disperma, D. fasciculiflora, D. ferdinandii, D.fournieri, and D. silvestris.

Last revised
Jul 18, 2026
Read time
≈ 1 min
Length
260 w
Citations
5
Source
Wikipedia ↗
Denhamia
Denhamia oleaster
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Embryophytes
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Spermatophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Celastrales
Family: Celastraceae
Genus: Denhamia
Meisn. (1837)
Synonyms1

Leucocarpum A.Rich. (1834)

Denhamia is a genus of plants within the family Celastraceae, with species in Australia, New Guinea, and New Caledonia.1 The species inhabit a variety of environments, from rainforest to semi-arid savanna. All species grow as shrubs or small trees up to 10 metres in height. 18 species are currently accepted.1 Based on a molecular and morphological analysis, the genus was enlarged in 2011 to include several Australian and Pacific island species formerly classified as Maytenus – Denhamia bilocularis, D. cunninghamii, D. cupularis, D. disperma, D. fasciculiflora, D. ferdinandii, D.fournieri, and D. silvestris.2

Species

18 species are accepted.1

  • Denhamia bilocularis (F.Muell.) M.P.Simmons
  • Denhamia celastroides (F.Muell.) Jessup
  • Denhamia cunninghamii (Hook.) M.P.Simmons
  • Denhamia cupularis (Ding Hou) M.P.Simmons
  • Denhamia disperma (F.Muell.) M.P.Simmons
  • Denhamia fasciculiflora (Jessup) M.P.Simmons
  • Denhamia fournieri (Pancher & Sebert) M.P.Simmons
  • Denhamia megacarpa J.J.Halford & Jessup
  • Denhamia moorei Jessup
  • Denhamia muelleri (Benth.) Jessup
  • Denhamia obscura (A.Rich.) Meisn. ex Walp.
  • Denhamia oleaster (Lindl.) F.Muell.
  • Denhamia parvifolia L.S.Sm.
  • Denhamia peninsularis J.J.Halford & Jessup
  • Denhamia pittosporoides F.Muell.
    • Denhamia pittosporoides subsp. pittosporoides
    • Denhamia pittosporoides subsp. angustifolia
  • Denhamia silvestris (Lander & L.A.S.Johnson) M.P.Simmons
  • Denhamia trichoclada J.J.Halford
  • Denhamia viridissima F.M.Bailey & F.Muell.
References

References

  1. Denhamia Meisn. Plants of the World Online. Retrieved 1 April 2026.
  2. McKenna, M. J., Simmons, M. P., Bacon, C. D., & Lombardi, J. A. (2011). Delimitation of the Segregate Genera of Maytenus s. 1. (Celastraceae) Based on Morphological and Molecular Characters. Systematic Botany, 36(4), 922–932. http://www.jstor.org/stable/41416908