Spathiostemon

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Spathiostemon
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Malpighiales
Family: Euphorbiaceae
Subfamily: Acalyphoideae
Tribe: Acalypheae
Subtribe: Lasiococcinae
Genus: Spathiostemon
Blume
Type species
Spathiostemon javensis
Synonyms[1]

Polydragma Hook.f.

Spathiostemon is a genus of trees in the Euphorbiaceae family. It is native to the Bismarck Archipelago, New Guinea, Wallacea and Southeast Asia.[1][2][3] The trees grow between 10 and 20m tall, often in secondary forest.[4] The wood is sometimes used.

Description[edit]

The two species occur as trees or shrubs up to 20m tall.[4] They are monoecious, that is individual trees have both female and male flowers though the sexes flower at different times. Leaves are spirally arranged and simple in form, papery. Flowers do not have petals. Woody thin-walled capsules are slightly lobed, glabrous (hairless) and either smooth or spiny. There are usually 2-3 seeds per fruit, obovoid (rounded at both ends), and slightly triangular in cross/transverse section. The genus is distinguished from other Malesian Euphorbiaceae by the following traits:[5] if present the latex is not obvious; hairs are present; pistillate (female) flowers have apically split stigmas; the male (staminate) flowers have stamens that split into two equal branches, arising from 4‒7 androphores/stalks, with ultimately more than 100 stamens.

History[edit]

Carl Ludwig Blume, botanist, was born in Braunschweig, but mainly worked in the Netherlands and the Netherlands East Indies. He first described Spathiostemon as a genus in 1826 in the journal Bijdragen tot de Flora van Nederlandsch Indie.[6][7]

Species[1][edit]

Formerly included[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c "Spathiostemon Blume". Plants of the World Online (POWO). Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 23 January 2021.
  2. ^ Govaerts, R., Frodin, D.G. & Radcliffe-Smith, A. (2000). World Checklist and Bibliography of Euphorbiaceae (and Pandaceae) 1-4: 1-1622. The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
  3. ^ van Welzen, P.C. & Chayamarit, K. (2007). Flora of Thailand 8(2): 305-592. The Forest Herbarium, National Park, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department, Bangkok.
  4. ^ a b van Welzen, P.C. "Malesian Euphorbiaceae Descriptions: 93. SPATHIOSTEMON (Euphorbiaceae)". Flora Malesiana. Nationaal Herbarium.Netherlands. Retrieved 23 January 2021.
  5. ^ "Key to the Families and Genera of Euphorbiaceae and allied families". Flora Malesiana. Nationaal Herbarium, Netherlands. Retrieved 23 January 2021.
  6. ^ "Spathiostemon Blume, Bijdr. Fl. Ned. Ind. 12: 621 (1826)". International Plant Name Index (IPNI). The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 23 January 2021.
  7. ^ Blume, Carl (Karl) Ludwig von. 1826. Bijdragen tot de flora van Nederlandsch Indië 12: 621-622 in Latin
  8. ^ "Spathiostemon forbesii (S.Moore) Airy Shaw". Plants of the World Online (POWO). Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 23 January 2021.
  9. ^ "Spathiostemon salicinus (Hassk.) Hassk". Plants of the World Online (POWO). Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 23 January 2021.