Streptolirion

Streptolirion volubile
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Monocots
(unranked):	Commelinids
Order:	Commelinales
Family:	Commelinaceae
Subfamily:	Commelinoideae
Tribe:	Trandescantieae
Genus:	Streptolirion Edgw.
Species:	S. volubile
Binomial name
Streptolirion volubile Edgw.

Streptolirion is a genus of climbing monocotyledonous flowering plants in the dayflower family. It consists of a single species, namely Streptolirion volubile. It has a broad distribution in Asia, from China's western Hubei Province as well as the Russian Far East, Korea and Japan in the northeast, south to Vietnam and west to India. Currently two subspecies are accepted: S. volubile subsp. volubile and S. volubile subsp. khasianum, with the latter being a stronger climber covered with erect brown hairs. Streptolirion can be distinguished from the closely related climber Spatholirion by the former's two-seeded carpels and inflorescences that are all subtended by large involucral bracts.^[1] They bear yellow hairs below the anthers, which are believed to increase floral attraction by contrasting with the petals or suggesting additional pollen is present.^[2] Despite the large range, an analysis of chromosomes found major differences between Japanese and Indian populations, suggesting that additional species may be yet unrecognized.^[3]

References

1. Hong, Deyuan; DeFillipps, Robert A. (2000), "Streptolirion", in Wu, Z. Y.; Raven, P.H.; Hong, D.Y., Flora of China 24, Beijing: Science Press; St. Louis: Missouri Botanical Garden Press, p. 20, retrieved 2008-01-28
2. Faden, Robert B. (1992), "Floral Attraction and Floral Hairs in the Commelinaceae", Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden 79 (1): 46–52, doi:10.2307/2399808
3. Suda, Yutaka; Faden, Robert B. (1980), "The karyotype of Streptolirion volubile Edgeworth (Commelinaceae) from Japan", Journal of Plant Research 93: 355–359, doi:10.1007/bf02488739