The systematic place of the tropical lowland rain-forest tree Ctenolophon OLIVER has a chequered history. Originally it was referred to affinity with Olacaceae (OLIVER, 1873; MASTERS, 1875; ENGLER, 1889; BAILLON, 1892) or Icacinaceae (BECCARI, 1877). HALLIER ƒ. (1912, 1918) held another view and arranged the genus in the Celastrales, deriving this group from Linaceae. HUTCHINSON (1959, 1973) referred the genus to the Malvales.