Pterodiscus | |
---|---|
Pterodiscus speciosus | |
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Clade: | Asterids |
Order: | Lamiales |
Family: | Pedaliaceae |
Genus: | Pterodiscus Hook. |
Synonyms [1] | |
Pedaliophyton Engl. |
Pterodiscus is a genus of plant in the Pedaliaceae family comprising several species with a native range from Ethiopia to S. Africa. [2] The range passes through the countries of Angola, Botswana, , Ethiopia, Kenya, Mozambique, Namibia, Somalia, Sudan, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe. [3] Plus it is found also within the Provinces of South Africa in Cape Provinces, Free State, KwaZulu-Natal and Northern Provinces.
The genus was originally established by William Jackson Hooker from one species found in South Africa, Pterodiscus speciosus. [4] The species was first published and described by William Jackson Hooker in Curtis's Bot. Mag. Vol.70 on table 4117 in 1844. [5]
The genus is accepted by United States Department of Agriculture and the Agricultural Research Service but they do not list any species. [1]
They are perennial herbs, [6] that have a thick caudex (rootstock), [6] that is either part of an underground tuber which is as wide as the above ground caudex, [7] or the underground tuber can be wider and broader. [8] Overall the plant does not reach more than 30 cm (12 in) high. From the caudex, an unbranched stem arises, normally every year. [7] The leaves are sub-succulent and fleshy, [8] and very variable in shape, [7] ranging from linear to strap-shaped, [8] undulate to broadly oblong. [7] They are dentate (toothed), pinnatilobed, pinnatifid (meaning pinnately dissected to the central vein) or pinnatipartite. [7] [8] The solitary flowers arise from the leaf axils, [7] [8] which come in a range of colours, from yellow, [7] (sometimes suffused with purple, [8] ) brilliant orange, red, [7] wine-red, purple to dark purple. [8] The calyx is small. [7] [8] The corolla is funnel-shaped or narrowly cylindrical, often slightly gibbous (rounded protuberance) at the base with a reduced spur. [7] [8] They have 4 stamens and a bilocular (or 2 compartmented) ovary). [7] [8] The fruit (or seed capsule) is indehiscent (does not split down the side), [7] [8] instead it has 4 broad longitudinal, prominent wings (which are parchment-like). The upper part of the capsule is beak-like. [7] [8] The seeds are variable in both shape and structure of the testa. [7]
The genera name is derived from the Greek word ptero meaning 'winged' and the Latin word discus meaning 'disc'. [6] [9] This refers to the fruit structure, [6] a flattened fruit that bears wings. [4]
There were 18 named species in tropical and South Africa, [10] but most of these were found to be synonyms of other species. [4]
Known species include (according to Kew, [3] and Tropicos [11] ):
Pterodiscus saccatus S.Moore and Pterodiscus undulatus Baker are listed by Hans-Dieter Ihlenfeldt, [4] and Pterodiscus ngamicus N.E.Br. ex Stapf by Flora of Botswana. [10] Also P. somaliensis Baker ex Stapf, P. wellbyi Stapf, P. heterophyllus Stapf, and P. purpureus Chiov. are listed as synonyms in 2001. [4]
While Encyclopedia of Life, lists 14 species including; Pterodiscus angustifolius Engl., Pterodiscus aurantiacus Welw., Pterodiscus cinnabarinus Peckover, Pterodiscus coeruleus Chiov., Pterodiscus elliottii Baker ex Stapf, Pterodiscus gayi Decne., Pterodiscus kellerianus Schinz, Pterodiscus luridus Hook. fil., Pterodiscus makatiniensis Peckover, Pterodiscus ngamicus N. E. Brown ex Stapf, Pterodiscus ruspolii Engl., Pterodiscus saccatus S. Moore, Pterodiscus speciosus Hook. and Pterodiscus undulatus Baker fil. [12]
Combretum, the bushwillows or combretums, make up the type genus of the family Combretaceae. The genus comprises about 272 species of trees and shrubs, most of which are native to tropical and southern Africa, about 5 to Madagascar, but there are others that are native to tropical Asia, New Guinea and the Bismarck Archipelago, Australia, and tropical America. Though somewhat reminiscent of willows (Salix) in their habitus, they are not particularly close relatives of these.
Sesamum is a genus of about 20 species in the flowering plant family Pedaliaceae. The plants are annual or perennial herbs with edible seeds. The best-known member of the genus is sesame, Sesamum indicum, the source of sesame seeds. The species are primarily African, with some species occurring in India, Sri Lanka, and China. The origin of S. indicum is uncertain, as it is widely cultivated and naturalized in tropical regions. The genus is closely related to the strictly African genus Ceratotheca and is itself probably African in origin.
Cyphostemma is a flowering plant genus in the family Vitaceae, with around 250 species distributed throughout the tropics and subtropics. These species are caudiciform and used to belong to the genus Cissus. The genus name comes from Greek kyphos, meaning hump, and stemma, meaning garland.
Adenium is a genus of flowering plants in the family Apocynaceae first described as a genus in 1819. It is native to Africa and the Arabian Peninsula.
The genus of the myrrhs, Commiphora, is the most species-rich genus of flowering plants in the frankincense and myrrh family, Burseraceae. The genus contains approximately 190 species of shrubs and trees, which are distributed throughout the (sub-) tropical regions of Africa, the western Indian Ocean islands, the Arabian Peninsula, India, and Vietnam. The genus is drought-tolerant and common throughout the xerophytic scrub, seasonally dry tropical forests, and woodlands of these regions.
Setaria is a widespread genus of plants in the grass family.
Faurea is a genus containing 15 species of flowering plants in the protea family which occur in the summer rainfall area of southern Africa, extending to tropical Africa and Madagascar. The name honours South African soldier and botanist William Caldwell Faure (1822-1844) who was killed on active service in India.
Ampelocissus is a genus of Vitaceae having 90 or more species found variously in tropical Africa, Asia, Central America, and Oceania. The type species, A. latifolia, was originally treated under its basionym, Vitis latifolia, and was collected from the Indian subcontinent.
Lintonia is a genus of African plants in the grass family.
Schizachyrium is a widespread genus of plants in the grass family. The name is derived from the Ancient Greek words σχίζειν, meaning "to split," and ἄχυρον, meaning "chaff." It refers to either the glume or the toothed lemmas.
Cryptolepis is a plant genus in the family Apocynaceae. It includes some 42 species.
Basananthe is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the family Passifloraceae.