Rhizophoraceae
	Genera : 14 - 16 Species: 100 - 120   Links to genus directories: Rhizphora

Distribution: Pantropical, semiaquatic in coastal areas and swamps.

Economic Uses: The source of the various important species of mangroves, which act as an ecological filter and provides large stands of crucial ecological niches for many species of animals, birds and fish. Some species are used for timber, while others produce high levels of tannins and are used in the tanning industry. The family aslo contains speices that are used locally as a source of medicines and food.

Defining Features of Interest: The classification of the famly is currently still debated by botanists.

Fossil Evidence: Fossil pollen in the Eocene.