Potoxylon
| Potoxylon | |
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| Genus: | Potoxylon |
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Potoxylon is a genus of evergreen trees belonging to the Laurel family, Lauraceae. Its only species: Potoxylon melagangai (Symington) Kosterman., Is native of Asia tropical in Borneo. The genus was described by André Joseph Guillaume Henri Kostermans published in Malayan Nature Journal 32: 14 in 1978. .[1]
Overview
The genus is characterized by an extremely rare combination of characters that have taken place the species in its own distinct genus. There is little information regarding the species due to its scarcity and the remoteness of their populations. They are widespread in tropical Asia region in Borneo island. Evergreen hermaphrodite tree, with gray bark. Leaves alternate, simple and entire, leathery, pinnatinervian. Flowers bisexual and actinomorphic, with six tepals biseriate, 9 stamens triseriate, the ovary superior and unilocular, grouped in axillary spikes. Berry-like drupes, ellipsoid. The fruit, a berry have an only seed dispersed by birds.
Ecology
The ecological requirements of the genus, are those of the laurel forest in tropical mountain cloud forest, and like most of their counterparts laurifolia in the world, they are vigorous species with a great ability to populate the habitat that is conducive. The natural habitat is rainforest which are cloud-covered for much of the year. The species are found in forests that face threats of destruction by human deforestation. Because of the special lack of worldwide knowledge about the family lauraceae in general, very little is known about their diversity. The knowledge of this family to national level, is that to be expected in countries with limited economic means with the vast majority of species indeterminate or even poorly determined. On the other hand, a high percentage of recently described new species come from collections made in these countries. Therefore an increase in the study of family, at national level, is of utmost importance for the progress of the systematics of the family in general. Recent monographs of genera of lauraceae in small and medium genus, up to 100 species, have produced an high increase in the number of known species. This high increase in the number of species is expected for other genus, particularly for those with more than 150 species recorded, bringing an expected considerable increase in the total number of species of the family.
A related vegetal community evolved millions of years ago on the supercontinent of Gondwana, and species of this community are now found on several separate areas of the Southern Hemisphere, including South America, Africa, New Zealand, Australia and New Caledonia.
The endemic genus of Borneo, currently includes 1 species, and is threatened by habitat loss. Exploitation of the natural populations are in detriment of the rainforest.
It is found inhabiting wet lands in tropical montane forests. The islander Potoxylon species can not enduring the bad winter, from continental outside its natural distribution could be killed by cold winter.
Species
References
- ^ a b "Potoxylon". Tropicos.org. Missouri Botanical Garden. Retrieved 5 August 2010.
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