Cyrtandra (plant)

Cyrtandra
an unidentified species
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Eudicots
(unranked): Asterids
Order: Lamiales
Family: Gesneriaceae
Genus: Cyrtandra
J.R.Forst. & G.Forst.
Species

600+, see text

Cyrtandra is a genus of flowering plants containing about 600 species,[1] with more being discovered often,[2] and is thus the largest genus in the family Gesneriaceae.[3] These plants are native to Southeast Asia, Australia, and the Pacific Islands, with the centre of diversity in Southeast Asia and the Malesian region.[3] The genus is common, but many species within it are very rare, localized, endangered endemic plants.[2] The species can be difficult to identify because they are highly polymorphic and because they readily hybridize with each other.[1] The plants may be small herbs, vines, shrubs, epiphytes, or trees. The genus is characterized in part by having two stamens, and most species have white flowers, with a few red-, orange-, yellow- and pink-flowered species known. Almost all species live in rainforest habitats.[2]

It is an example of a supertramp genus.[2]

Hawaiian Cyrtandra are known as ha‘iwale.[1]

Cyrtandra platyphylla

Species include:

References

  1. 1 2 3 Clermontia and Cyrtandra. DNA Barcoding Endemic Hawaiian Species Project. University of Hawaii, Hilo.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Quentin C. B. Cronk, Michael Kiehn, Warren L. Wagner & James F. Smith (2005). "Evolution of Cyrtandra (Gesneriaceae) in the Pacific Ocean: the origin of a supertramp clade". American Journal of Botany 92 (6): 1017–1024. doi:10.3732/ajb.92.6.1017. JSTOR 4126079. PMID 21652486.
  3. 1 2 David H. Lorence and Steven Perlman (2007). "A new species of Cyrtandra (Gesneriaceae) from Hawai'i, Hawaiian Islands". Novon 17 (3): 357–361. doi:10.3417/1055-3177(2007)17[357:ANSOCG]2.0.CO;2. JSTOR 20406191.
  4. Cyrtandra cordifolia at the Oahu board of water suppy.
  5. Warren L. Wagner & David H. Lorence (2000). "A reassessment of Cyrtandra kealiae and C. limahuliensis (Gesneriaceae)". Bishop Museum Occasional Papers 63: 17–20. hdl:10088/7612.

Further reading

External links


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