Cyphostemma mappia (Mapou tree or bois mapou) is a species of caudiciform succulent plant endemic to Mauritius. It is sometimes known as the "Mauritian baobab", though it is member of the grape family (Vitaceae) and unrelated to the true Baobabs of Africa.
This species is endangered, but is beginning to be propagated in its native Mauritius, as an ornamental landscaping plant.[1]
Description
Detail of foliage in a mature plantThe swollen, water-filled trunk of an adult Mapou tree.
It is a soft-stemmed caudiciform tree, with succulent green leaves on fragile, chunky, elastic, distinctively zig-zag branches. It can eventually reach a height of nearly 10 meters, and develop a vastly expanded, swollen, water-filled trunk. This means that it can resemble a baobab in shape.
As a case of "island gigantism", it is the only Cyphostemma species to attain the size of a large tree. It has also lost the vine-like tendrils of its genus, which falls within the greater Vitaceae (grapevine) family.
In exposed areas, it tends to be shorter and more robust - only a few meters tall. In more protected environments, it grows up to 10 meters in height. The wood is soft and fleshy, like that of a true baobab. It is therefore sometimes confused both with the Baobab (Adansonia digitata) or with the genera Calpidia or Pisonia which all have similar fleshy trunks.
It produces flowers from January through May and sometimes they remain for as long as October. The fruits are small, red, velvety grapes.
Like many other endemic Mauritian plants, it has heterophyllous leaves, due to having evolved with the presence of grazing giant tortoises. The plants still exhibit this heterophylly, even though the Cylindraspis giant tortoise species of Mauritius are now extinct. Leaves of young plants are longer, thinner and lighter red-coloured - and are mostly ignored by tortoises. In older plants, where the leaves are out of reach of giant tortoises, the leaves are larger, broader and greener. The leaves are compound, with odd numbers of leaflet segments, and it is typically deciduous.[2]
Changes in leaf form (Heterophylly)
Juvenile leaves
Basal shoot
Subadult leaves
Young adult leaves
Adult leaves
Adult leaves (rounded)
Distribution
This is by far the largest species of Cyphostemma (a special case of "island gigantism").An early sketch of a Mapou tree (E.Pitot). This species was once common across Mauritius.
It used to be widespread throughout the dry and semi-dry forests of the island, but especially in more exposed or mountainous areas. It was reported to be extremely common especially on and around Le Pouce and in the north, especially around the town of Mapou (to which it gave its name), although it was already rare there by 1800. It was also reported in large numbers in the hills and mountains around Moka; as well as in the lowland forests across the island.
It was exterminated from much of its natural range, but can still occasionally be found on extremely rocky slopes or outcrops in the higher mountains. It can be found on the mountain ranges of Trois Mamelles and Rempart, and in some of the remaining dry forests in the west of the island, especially around Magenta and Yemen.
Cultivation
Young Mapou tree in cultivation in MauritiusThe (unripe) grapes of Cyphostemma mappia.There are many natural varieties in Cyphostemma mappia, even among those of the same age.
It is relatively slow-growing, but is increasingly used as a decorative ornamental for hotels and public landscaping in Mauritius.
It is easily propagated by cuttings, which can be rooted in water, or in a damp, shady environment. It can also be grown from seed.[3][4]
A cactus is a member of the plant family Cactaceae, a family comprising about 127 genera with some 1,750 known species of the order Caryophyllales. The word cactus derives, through Latin, from the Ancient Greek word κάκτος (káktos), a name originally used by Theophrastus for a spiny plant whose identity is now not certain. Cacti occur in a wide range of shapes and sizes. They are native to the Americas, ranging from Patagonia in the south to parts of western Canada in the north, with the exception of Rhipsalis baccifera, which is also found in Africa and Sri Lanka. Cacti are adapted to live in very dry environments, including the Atacama Desert, one of the driest places on Earth. Because of this, cacti show many adaptations to conserve water. For example, almost all cacti are succulents, meaning they have thickened, fleshy parts adapted to store water. Unlike many other succulents, the stem is the only part of most cacti where this vital process takes place. Most species of cacti have lost true leaves, retaining only spines, which are highly modified leaves. As well as defending against herbivores, spines help prevent water loss by reducing air flow close to the cactus and providing some shade. In the absence of true leaves, cacti's enlarged stems carry out photosynthesis.
The Mascarene Islands or Mascarenes or Mascarenhas Archipelago is a group of islands in the Indian Ocean east of Madagascar consisting of the islands belonging to the Republic of Mauritius as well as the French department of La Réunion. Their name derives from the Portuguese navigator Pedro Mascarenhas, who first visited them in April 1512. The islands share a common geologic origin in the volcanism of the Réunion hotspot beneath the Mascarene Plateau and form a distinct ecoregion with a unique flora and fauna.
Island gigantism, or insular gigantism, is a biological phenomenon in which the size of an animal species isolated on an island increases dramatically in comparison to its mainland relatives. Island gigantism is one aspect of the more general "island effect" or "Foster's rule", which posits that when mainland animals colonize islands, small species tend to evolve larger bodies, and large species tend to evolve smaller bodies. This is itself one aspect of the more general phenomenon of island syndrome which describes the differences in morphology, ecology, physiology and behaviour of insular species compared to their continental counterparts. Following the arrival of humans and associated introduced predators, many giant as well as other island endemics have become extinct. A similar size increase, as well as increased woodiness, has been observed in some insular plants such as the Mapou tree in Mauritius which is also known as the "Mauritian baobab" although it is member of the grape family (Vitaceae).
Pachycauls are plants with a disproportionately thick trunk for their height, and few branches. In contrast, trees with thin twigs such as Oak (Quercus), Maple (Acer) and Eucalyptus are called leptocauls while those with moderately thick twigs like Plumeria are called mesocauls. Pachycauly can be the product of exceptional primary growth or disproportionate secondary growth as with the Baobabs (Adansonia). The word is derived from the Greek pachy- meaning thick or stout, and Latin caulis meaning the stem. All of the tree species of cactus are pachycauls, as are most palms, Cycads and pandans. The most extreme pachycauls are the floodplains, or riverbottom variety of the African Palmyra with primary growth up to seven feet in thickness, and the Coquito Palm with primary growth up to six feet thick. The most pachycaulous cycad is Cycas thouarsii at up to five feet in diameter. The tallest pachycaul is the Andean Wax Palm at up to 220 feet. and about 16 inches (41 cm) in diameter. The most pachycaulous cactus is the Bisnaga with primary growth up to 4 ft 4 in in diameter. The largest caudex type pachycaul is the African Baobab. One called the Glencoe Baobab at Hoedspruit, South Africa has a basal diameter of 52 ft 2 in. This tree suffered a severe trauma and is dying.
Adansonia grandidieri is the biggest and most famous of Madagascar's six species of baobabs. It is sometimes known as Grandidier's baobab or the giant baobab. In French it is called Baobab malgache. The local name is renala or reniala. This tree is endemic to the island of Madagascar, where it is an endangered species threatened by the encroachment of agricultural land. This is the tree found at the Avenue of the Baobabs.
Cyphostemma currorii is a succulent tree belonging to the family Vitaceae, also known as Koba or Butter-tree. They grow and reach a height of 6 meters or more. Cyphostemma currorii is found in hot, arid rocky places, and has been seen from southern Angola to Namibia and is common on the Brandberg.
Delonix pumila is a species of flowering plant in the family Fabaceae. It is endemic to Madagascar.
The wildlife of Mauritius consists of its flora and fauna. Mauritius is located in the Indian Ocean to the east of Madagascar. Due to its isolation, it has a relatively low diversity of wildlife; however, a high proportion of these are endemic species occurring nowhere else in the world. Many of these are now threatened with extinction because of human activities including habitat destruction and the introduction of non-native species. Some have already become extinct, most famously the dodo which disappeared in the 17th century.
The saddle-backed Mauritius giant tortoise is an extinct species of giant tortoise in the family Testudinidae. It was endemic to Mauritius. The last records of this tortoise date to the early 18th century.
Peperomia nivalis is a species of plant in the genus Peperomia endemic to Peru. Its native habitat is found in the high altitude ranges of the peruvian Andes. P. nivalis is a compact erect succulent herb with fleshy stems and leaves. The thick leaves are cuneate and U-shaped in cross-section with epidermal windows on the top-side. The leaf color is bright green in the shady summer and reddish during dry sunny seasons.
In botany, succulent plants, also known as succulents, are plants with parts that are thickened, fleshy, and engorged, usually to retain water in arid climates or soil conditions. The word succulent comes from the Latin word sucus, meaning "juice" or "sap".
Cissus tiliacea is a species of the Cissus genus in the Vitaceae family. It is also incorrectly known as Vitistuberosa.
Aloe purpurea is a species of Aloe endemic to the island of Mauritius, in the Indian Ocean, where it formerly occurred on dry rocky slopes and outcrops, the highland plateaus, and the forests of the west. It is part of a group of aloes which bear fleshy berries, and were therefore classed as a separate group, "Lomatophyllum". It is also one of only two Aloe species which naturally occur on Mauritius - both endemic and occurring nowhere else.
Aloe lomatophylloides is a unique species of Aloe endemic to the island of Rodrigues, in the Indian Ocean. It is part of a group of aloes which bear fleshy berries, and were therefore classed as a separate group, Aloe section Lomatophyllum.
Crinum mauritianum is a herbaceous plant belonging to the family Amaryllidaceae, and endemic to Mauritius.
Diospyros tessellaria is a species of tree in the family Ebenaceae.
Sideroxylon puberulum, or manglier rouge, is a species of plant in the family Sapotaceae. It is endemic to Mauritius.
Diospyros revaughanii is a rare species of tree in the family Ebenaceae (ebony).
Ile aux Aigrettes is an islet off the south-east coast of Mauritius. It functions as a nature reserve and a scientific research station. It is also a popular visitors attraction - both for tourists and for Mauritians.
Diospyros egrettarum is a species of tree endemic to Mauritius and was once a dominant species throughout dry and coastal forests. Due to harvests for timber and firewood in the past the species was reduced to fewer than 10 individuals on the main land. The only viable population remained on Île aux Aigrettes, a coral island off the east coast, where it was able to survive thanks to protective measures, such as the eradication of exotic plants and rats. The tree is named after this Island.
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