Coriariceae

The Coriariaceae is a small family of flowering plants, consisting of a single genus, Coriaria. This genus includes five species found around the southern Pacific Ocean, extending to China, the Himalayas, and the Mediterranean region, as well as in the Andes mountains and into Mexico.1

These plants are shrubby, with branches that can resemble fern fronds. Their leaves are small and opposite, arranged in a single plane. The flowers are grouped in racemes, and while the fruits are dry, the surrounding perianth parts become fleshy and enclose them. Coriaria species have a symbiotic relationship with the fungus Frankia, which forms nodules on their roots. It is important to note that these plants are poisonous. The leaves of Coriaria have historically been used in tanning leather.12