| Pterophylla | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Flowers and leaves of towai ( Pterophylla sylvicola ) | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Oxalidales |
| Family: | Cunoniaceae |
| Genus: | Pterophylla D.Don |
Pterophylla is a genus of trees of the family Cunoniaceae, with species found growing naturally in Madagascar, Malesia, Papuasia, and the Pacific Islands, formerly included in Weinmannia .
Species of Pterophylla are native to Madagascar and the Comoro Islands, and to Malesia (Peninsular Thailand and Malaysia, Sumatra, Borneo, Java, the Lesser Sunda Islands, Sulawesi, Maluku, and the Philippines), Papuasia (New Guinea, the Bismarck Archipelago, and Solomon Islands), Vanuatu, New Caledonia, New Zealand, and parts of Oceania (Fiji, Cook Islands, Marquesas Islands, Samoa Islands, Society Islands, and Tubuai Islands). [1]
Species of Pterophylla grow in lowland tropical forests in Madagascar, and generally in hill and montane tropical forests on the larger islands of Malesia and the Pacific. They are absent from Oceania's low coraline islands, but can be abundant on the higher volcanic islands from 300 to 750+ metres elevation. They are also found in subtropical and temperate forest in New Zealand between 300 and 1180 metres elevation. [2]
The genus was first described by David Don in 1830. [1] It is often treated as a synonym of Weinmannia. [3]
A phylogenomic study by Pillon et al. (2021) concluded that Weinmannia was paraphyletic, and formed two distinct clades. The species belonging to the four Old World sections – Fasciculatae, Inspersae, Spicatae, and Leiospermum – formed a monophyletic group, which is sister to the Old World genera Cunonia and Pancheria . Section Weinmannia, which includes species from the Americas and the Mascarene Islands, is sister to the Old World assemblage. They proposed placing the four Old World sections into the revived genus Pterophylla, with genus Weinmannia limited to the American and Mascarene species of section Weinmannia. [4]
There are 68 accepted species, [1] which are divided among four sections – Pterophylla (formerly Fasciculatae), Leiospermum, Spicatae, and Inspersae. [4]
(mostly Malesia and Papuasia, from Sumatra to Fiji) [5] [4]
(mostly Pacific, from the Bismarck Archipelago to the Marquesas) [5] [4]
(Madagascar and the Comoros) [5] [4]
Antidesma is a genus of tropical plant in the family Phyllanthaceae formally described by Linnaeus in 1753. It is native to tropical Africa, S + E + SE Asia, Australia, and various oceanic islands. The greatest diversity occurs in Southeast Asia.
Cunoniaceae is a family of 27 genera and about 335 species of woody plants in the order Oxalidales, mostly found in the tropical and wet temperate regions of the Southern Hemisphere. The greatest diversity of genera are in Australia and Tasmania, New Guinea, and New Caledonia. The family is also present in Central America, South America, the Caribbean, Malesia, the islands of the South Pacific, Madagascar and surrounding islands. the family is absent from mainland Asia except from Peninsular Malaysia, and almost absent from mainland Africa apart from two species from Southern Africa. Several of the genera have remarkable disjunct ranges, found on more than one continent, e.g. Cunonia, EucryphiaWeinmannia.
Weinmannia is a genus of trees and shrubs in the family Cunoniaceae. It contains 90 species, which range from Mexico through Central and South America including the Caribbean, and to the Mascarene Islands in the western Indian Ocean. It is absent from mainland Africa and Australia, but some fossils have been attributed to Weinmannia in Australia.
Barringtonia is a genus of flowering plants in the family Lecythidaceae first described as a genus with this name in 1775. It is native to Africa, southern Asia, Australia, and various islands of the Pacific and Indian Oceans. The genus name commemorates Daines Barrington.
Pancheria is a genus of shrubs and trees in the family Cunoniaceae. It is to endemic to New Caledonia and contains 27 species. Leaves or whorled, simple or pinnate. The flowers are arranged in capitula, fruits are follicular. The species are dioecious. The genus is well diversified on ultramafic rocks and some species are nickel hyperaccumulators. It is related to Cunonia and Pterophylla. It was named after Jean Armand Isidore Pancher.
Pterophylla affinis, formerly known as Weinmannia affinis, is a species of plant in the family Cunoniaceae. It is native to Fiji and the Samoan Islands.
Pterophylla exigua, formerly known as Weinmannia exigua, is a species of plant in the family Cunoniaceae. It is endemic to Fiji. This scarce shrub or small tree is known from a single population of 30 to 40 individual plants in Cakaudrove Province on Vanua Levu. It grows in forest or thicket at low elevations. Its known habitat is in at high risk of fires.
Pterophylla ouaiemensis, formerly known as Weinmannia ouaiemensis, is a species of plant in the family Cunoniaceae. It is endemic to New Caledonia.
Pterophylla raiateensis, formerly known as Weinmannia raiateensis, is a species of plant in the family Cunoniaceae. It is endemic to the island of Raiatea, in the Society Islands of French Polynesia.
Weinmannia richii, formerly Weinmannia richii, is a species of plant in the family Cunoniaceae. It is a shrub or tree endemic to Fiji.
Pterophylla vitiensis, formerly known as Weinmannia vitiensis, is a species of plant in the family Cunoniaceae. It is endemic to Fiji.
Cunonia is a genus of shrubs and trees in the family Cunoniaceae. The genus has a disjunct distribution, with 24 species endemic to New Caledonia in the Pacific, and one species in Southern Africa. Leaves are opposite, simple or pinnate with a margin entire to serrate. Interpetiolar stipules are often conspicuous and generally enclose buds to form a spoon-like shape. Flowers are bisexual, white, red, or green, arranged in racemes. The fruit is a capsule opening first around the base then vertically, seeds are winged.
Pterophylla rutenbergii is a species of plant in the family Cunoniaceae endemic to Madagascar. The species is common and has a widespread distribution. It can be found from sea level to 2000 metres elevation at the summits at Marojejy National Park. It grows in the lowland rain forests of eastern Madagascar and the montane and subhumid forests in the center and north of the island. The species does best in open, disturbed habitat, particularly on roadsides and areas recently burned.
Pterophylla fraxinea, formerly known as Weinmannia fraxinea, is a tree in the family Cunoniaceae. It grows up to 40 metres (130 ft) tall. The bark is grey to dark brown. Inflorescences bear up to three pairs of flowers. The specific epithet fraxinea is from the Latin meaning "ash tree", referring to the leaves' resemblance to those of the genus Fraxinus.
Pterophylla parviflora, formerly known as Weinmannia parviflora, is a species of plant in the family Cunoniaceae. It is endemic to the Society Islands of French Polynesia.
Pterophylla marquesana, formerly known as Weinmannia marquesana, is a species of plant in the family Cunoniaceae. It is a shrub or tree endemic to the Marquesas Islands of French Polynesia.
Pterophylla tremuloides, formerly known as Weinmannia tremuloides, is a species of plant in the family Cunoniaceae. It is a shrub endemic to the island of Fatu Hiva in the Marquesas Islands of French Polynesia.
Pterophylla comorensis, formerly known as Weinmannia comorensis, is a species of plant in the family Cunoniaceae. It is a tree endemic to the Comoro Islands.
Pterophylla vescoi, formerly known as Weinmannia vescoi, is a species of plant in the family Cunoniaceae. It is a tree native to the island of Raiatea and possibly Tahiti in the Society Islands of French Polynesia.
Sclerotheca raiateensis, commonly known as tiare apetahi and formerly known as Apetahia raiateensis, is a species of plant in the family Campanulaceae. It is a shrub native to the island of Raiatea in the Society Islands of French Polynesia.