Maurandya | |
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Maurandya barclayana | |
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Clade: | Asterids |
Order: | Lamiales |
Family: | Plantaginaceae |
Tribe: | Antirrhineae |
Genus: | Maurandya Ortega [1] |
Species | |
See text | |
Synonyms [2] | |
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Maurandya is a genus of flowering plants in the family Plantaginaceae, native to Mexico and the south west United States (from California to central Texas). They sprawl or climb by means of twining leaf stalks. One of the four species, Maurandya barclayana , is widely cultivated as an ornamental plant.
The generic name is often misspelt as Maurandia. Two of its species have at times been placed in the genera Epixiphium and Maurandella.
The species of Maurandya are either herbaceous perennials with fibrous roots or, in the case of M. wislizeni , an annual with a tap root. All are sprawlers or climbers, climbing by means of twining leaf stalks (petioles). The leaves are shaped like broad or narrow arrowheads, more rarely heart-shaped. [2]
The flower stalks (peduncles) grow upwards and bear solitary flowers. The more-or-less triangular sepals are not joined together but jointly form an urn-shaped structure around the base of the flower. The petals (collectively the corolla) are joined at the base to form a tube with five free lobes at the tip. The lobes are differentiated into two upper ones, usually curving backwards, and three lower ones, usually pointing forwards. The corolla is whitish at the base with various colours further on: pink, red, violet, blue or combinations of these. In M. antirrhiniflora , the flowers have two "lips" partly enclosing the throat or tube of the flower; in the other species, the flower tube is open. [2]
There are four fertile stamens, two of one length and two of another, plus a rudimentary sterile stamen. The stamens and style are included in the flower. After fertilization, a two-valved capsule forms, of various shapes, containing dark brown seeds. [2]
Maurandya scandens was the first species of the genus to be described for science, by Antonio José Cavanilles in 1793, based on plants being grown in Spain. He named the species Usteria scandens. However, the generic name Usteria had already been used in 1790, so was illegitimate. In 1797, Casimiro Gómez Ortega provided the legitimate generic name, Maurandya. A year later, Nikolaus Joseph von Jacquin published the orthographic variant (i.e. misspelling) Maurandia. [3] The generic name Maurandya honours Catherina Pancratia Maurandy, the wife of a Spanish professor of botany, described by Ortega as the partner (socia) of his botanical labours. [4] [5] [Note 1]
The genus is placed in the tribe Antirrhineae; within this tribe, it is closely related to Lophospermum , Mabrya and Rhodochiton . [7] Both Lophospermum and Rhodochiton have been included in Maurandya as sections; [2] [8] [9] Mabrya was split off from Maurandya by Wayne J. Elisens. [2] Scientific names within these genera have been confused; for example, an image accepted by Tropicos as Lophospermum erubescens bears the caption Maurandya barclaiana (a variant spelling of Maurandya barclayana ). [10]
A number of molecular phylogenetic studies have shown that subtribe Maurandyinae, defined by Elisen to consist of the five North American genera Holmgrenanthe, Lophospermum, Mabrya, Maurandya and Rhodochiton, forms a monophyletic group, which is related to the Old World genera Cymbalaria and Asarina . [7] [11] [12] Gehebrehiwet et al. suggested that the Maurandyinae could be expanded to include Cymbalaria and Asarina. [11] Vargas et al. presented the following cladogram in 2013: [12]
| Old World New World |
Vargas et al. concluded that the Antirrhineae evolved in the Old World and subsequently colonized North America more than once, probably in the Miocene epoch ( 23 to 5 million years ago). One such colonization led to the evolution of the Maurandyinae (in Elisen's sense). [12]
As of July 2014 [update] , four species are accepted: [2] [Note 2]
The partially closed flowers of M. antirrhiniflora compared to the open flowers of the other species have been a factor in some authorities putting it into a separate genus, Maurandella (or at least into a different section within Maurandya). Elisens does not consider the differences sufficient to warrant such a move. [2]
M. wislizeni is somewhat different from the other species; for example, it is the only annual growing from a tap root. Some authorities have put it into a separate genus, Epixiphium, or in a separate section within Maurandya. This has been rejected by Elisens in his monograph on the subtribe to which Maurandya belongs, on the grounds that the overall similarities "indicate a close relationship among the four species". He does however place this species in a separate subgenus, M. subgenus Epixiphium, with the other three species in M. subgenus Maurandya. [2]
A number of species formerly in Maurandya were put into a new genus, Mabrya , by Elisens and by David A. Sutton: [2] [13] [14]
Other species that have been placed in Maurandya include:
Maurandya species are native to Mexico and the south west United States (from California through Arizona and New Mexico to central Texas). The most widespread, M. antirrhiniflora, occurs in a wide range of habitats, from sandy coastal soils to calcareous rocky areas and from sea level to 2,600 m (8,500 ft). The other three species are somewhat more restricted in habitat. M. wislizeni is an annual found in the Chihuahuan Desert. M. barclayana and M. scandens generally grow in mountainous regions of Mexico, from 1,500 to 2,400 m (4,900 to 7,900 ft). [22]
Some species of Maurandya have escaped cultivation and become naturalized, [2] including M. antirrhiniflora in Hawaii and Florida. [23]
Maurandya antirrhiniflora and M. barclayana are known to be pollinated by long-tongued bees, defined as those with tongues more than 6 mm (0.2 in) long. Species pollinated in this way typically have white, blue or violet flowers with floral tubes around 13–35 mm (0.5–1.4 in) long. [24] The pollinator of M. wislizeni is unknown, but its flower colour and shape are similar, [2] suggesting it too is pollinated by long-tongued bees. M. scandens has flowers of a similar size and shape, but of a reddish-pink colour, normally associated with pollination by hummingbirds. It may have recently evolved from a bee-pollinated ancestor. [24]
Maurandya barclayana has been cultivated as an ornamental climber since at least the 19th century. It was introduced into England in 1825 by Mr. Barclay, a London brewer. The Horticultural Society of London named it in honour of Dr. Maurandy, a botanical professor, at Carthegena, and Barclayana, in honour of the man who introduced it to England. [25] Joseph Paxton described its cultivation in 1836, saying that it was a "beautiful climber". [26] Elisens described it as "a particularly attractive hanging or climbing plant". [27] Maurandya scandens is also commonly cultivated and has escaped to grow in the wild. The two species can cross when grown together. [28]
As noted above, Maurandya and Lophospermum species have regularly been confused, particularly in cultivation. Cultivated species of Maurandya have shorter flowers than those of Lophospermum and leaves with entire rather than toothed margins. [2]
Plants may be grown from seed and treated as annuals. In frost-free climates, or where the roots can be protected from frost, plants may be perennial, regrowing from the base after dying back in the winter. [29] M. barclayana is said to be hardy to −5 °C (23 °F). [30]
Rhodochiton is a genus of flowering plants within the family Plantaginaceae, native to southern Mexico and neighbouring Guatemala. They climb by means of twining leaf stalks. One of the three species, Rhodochiton atrosanguineus, the purple bell vine, is grown as an ornamental plant. All three species are sometimes included in Lophospermum.
Lophospermum is a genus of herbaceous perennial climbers or scramblers, native to mountainous regions of Mexico and Guatemala. Those that climb use twining leaf stalks. Their flowers are tubular, in shades of red, violet and purple, the larger flowers being pollinated by hummingbirds. Now placed in the greatly expanded family Plantaginaceae, the genus was traditionally placed in the Scrophulariaceae. The close relationship with some other genera, particularly Maurandya and Rhodochiton, has led to confusion over the names of some species.
Asarina is a flowering plant genus of only one species, Asarina procumbens Mill. the trailing snapdragon, which is native to France and Spain and introduced in Germany, Switzerland, Austria and Hungary. Originally placed in the Scrophulariaceae, the genus has more recently been moved to the Plantaginaceae. Species from North America formerly placed in the genus Asarina are now placed in Holmgrenanthe, Lophospermum, Mabrya and Maurandya, as well as Neogaerrhinum. Asarina is now regarded as exclusively an Old World genus.
Holmgrenanthe petrophila is a rare perennial desert plant in the plantain family (Plantaginaceae), and the sole species of the genus Holmgrenanthe. It forms low mats of branched stems growing from a woody base. The leaves have small spines along their edges. The solitary yellow flowers are tubular with five free lobes at the end, the upper two pointing backwards, the lower three projecting forwards. The species is known only from about ten locations, most in the Titus Canyon and the adjacent Fall Canyon, all within the Californian section of Death Valley National Park. It grows in limestone crevices on the canyon walls, often on the north face.
Lophospermum erubescens, known as Mexican twist or creeping gloxinia, is a climbing or sprawling herbaceous perennial plant, native to the Sierra Madre Oriental mountains of Mexico, where it is found along forest margins or canyon walls. It climbs by means of twining leaf stalks. Wild plants have pink and white tubular flowers, although other colours are found in cultivation. It has been cultivated as an ornamental plant since at least 1830. Although not frost-hardy, it will survive if its base and roots are protected from freezing in the winter. It has escaped from cultivation and become naturalized in tropical and subtropical areas of the world.
Lophospermum scandens is a scambling or climbing herbaceous perennial native to south central Mexico, with red-violet and white tubular flowers and toothed heart-shaped leaves. It grows at elevations between 1,400 and 2,400 m in dry habitats, including deciduous oak forests and recent lava flows. The long-tubed flowers are pollinated by hummingbirds. It has been used in gardens as an ornamental plant since the mid-19th century. Its roots require protection from frost in regions where this occurs in the winter. Hybrids of L. scandens are also grown.
Rhodochiton atrosanguineus is a herbaceous perennial vine native to Mexico. It has been cultivated as an ornamental plant since at least 1836.
Mabrya is a genus of flowering plants in the plantain family, Plantaginaceae. It consists of herbaceous perennials with brittle upright or drooping stems, found in dry areas of Mexico and the southern United States.
The Antirrhineae are one of the 12 tribes of the family Plantaginaceae. It contains the toadflax relatives, such as snapdragons.
Epixiphium wislizeni, commonly known as baloonbush, is a species of flowering plant in the plantain family, Plantaginaceae. It is the sole species in genus Epixiphium. It is a scrambling or climbing perennial subshrub native to Chihuahua state in northern Mexico and the south western United States where it grows in sand dunes. It has tubular flowers in shades of blue to violet and white and more-or-less triangular untoothed leaves.
Maurandella antirrhiniflora, known as roving sailor or climbing snapdragon, is a species of flowering plant in the family Plantaginaceae. It is the sole species in genus Maurandella. It is a scrambling or climbing herbaceous perennial subshrub native to Mexico, the southwestern United States, Cuba, and the Turks and Caicos Islands, where it grows in a variety of relatively dry subtropical habitats.
Lophospermum purpusii is a scambling or climbing herbaceous perennial native to Mexico. It has tubular flowers, white at the base and red to violet elsewhere.
Rhodochiton hintonii is a climbing or sprawling herbaceous perennial native to the state of Guerrero in Mexico. It has dangling flowers, with a bell-shaped calyx and dark purple petals forming a tube. Unlike the better known Rhodochiton atrosanguineus, the petal tube is asymmetrical with two "lips".
Rhodochiton nubicola is a climbing or sprawling herbaceous perennial native to the state of Chiapas in Mexico and to Guatemala, where it grows in cloud forests at between 1,300 and 3,000 m. It has dangling flowers, with a bell-shaped calyx and dark purple petals forming a tube. Unlike the better known Rhodochiton atrosanguineus, the petal tube is asymmetrical with two "lips".
Mabrya acerifolia, or brittlestem, is a mat-forming herbaceous perennial native to south-central Arizona. It has pale yellow tubular flowers. It was first described by Francis W. Pennell in 1924 in the genus Maurandya and transferred to Mabrya by Wayne J. Elisens in 1985. The epithet acerifolia refers to the somewhat maple-like shape of its leaves.
Mabrya geniculata is a mat-forming herbaceous perennial native to the Mexican states of Sonora and Chihuahua. It has pale yellow tubular flowers. It was first described in 1894 by Benjamin L. Robinson and Merritt L. Fernald in the genus Maurandya and transferred to Mabrya by Wayne J. Elisens in 1985.
Mabrya flaviflora is a mat-forming herbaceous perennial native to a small area in Baja California Norte, Mexico. It has pale yellow tubular flowers. It was first described by Ivan M. Johnston in 1924 in the genus Maurandya and transferred to Mabrya by Wayne J. Elisens in 1985 as Mabrya geniculata subsp. flaviflora. It was restored to a full species within Mabrya by David A. Sutton in 1988. The epithet flaviflora means yellow-flowered.
Mabrya coccinea is a mat-forming herbaceous perennial native to the Mexican state of Coahuila. It has red tubular flowers. It was first described by Ivan M. Johnston in 1950 in the genus Maurandya and transferred to Mabrya by Wayne J. Elisens in 1985. The epithet coccinea means red.
Mabrya rosei is a mat-forming herbaceous perennial native to the Mexican states of Jalisco and Zacatecas. It has tubular flowers, whitish at the base and red to red-violet at the apex. It was first described by Philip A. Munz in 1926 in the genus Maurandya and transferred to Mabrya by Wayne J. Elisens in 1985. Munz did not explain the origin of the epithet rosei but listed the collector of the type specimen as Joseph Nelson Rose.
Mabrya erecta is an upright herbaceous perennial native to Mexico – the states of Chihuahua, Coahuila, Durango, Nuevo León and possibly México. Unlike other members of the genus Mabrya, it does not form mats. It has tubular flowers, whitish at the base and pink to red-violet at the apex. It was first described by William B. Hemsley in 1882 in the genus Maurandya and transferred to Mabrya by Wayne J. Elisens in 1985. The epithet erecta means erect or upright.