Dracontium

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The printable version is no longer supported and may have rendering errors. Please update your browser bookmarks and please use the default browser print function instead.

Dracontium
1880 Botanical illustration of Dracontium spruceanum[1]
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Alismatales
Family: Araceae
Subfamily: Lasioideae
Genus: Dracontium
Blume ex Decne.
Species

See text

Synonyms[2]
  • Eutereia Raf.
  • Echidnium Schott
  • Ophione Schott
  • Chersydrium Schott
  • Godwinia Seem.

Dracontium is a genus of flowering plants similar to those of Amorphophallus. Unlike Amorphophallus which is found in the Old World, this genus has a New World distribution and is native to South America, Central America, southern Mexico, and the West Indies.[2][3][4]

Dracontium species can be distinguished from related genera by their inflorescence, which is smaller and unisexual.[5] The plant has a large tuber similar to that of Amorphophallus, but rounder, and with no central and circular scar mark. When Dracontium plants begin to flower, the tuber swells and smoothens.[5][6]

Species

More than 20 Dracontium species have been described:[7]

References

  1. ^ Fitch (d. 1927) - Curtis's Botanical Magazine v.106 [ser.3:v.36] (1880)
  2. ^ a b Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families
  3. ^ erts, R. & Frodin, D.G. (2002). World Checklist and Bibliography of Araceae (and Acoraceae): 1-560. The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
  4. ^ Forzza, R. C. 2010. Lista de espécies Flora do Brasil "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2015-09-06. Retrieved 2015-08-20.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link). Jardim Botânico do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro
  5. ^ a b Bown, Demi (2000). Aroids: Plants of the Arum Family. Timber Press. ISBN 0-88192-485-7.
  6. ^ Zhu, G. h. & T. B. Croat. 2004. Revision of Dracontium (Araceae). Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden 91(4): 593–667
  7. ^ "Dracontium". The Plant List. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and Missouri Botanical Garden. 2010. Retrieved 21 June 2013.