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cyrtandra

Scientific Name: Cyrtandra

Family: Gesneriaceae

Category: Dicot

Growth:

Duration:

Other Names:

       

Cyrtandra: A Diverse Genus of Flowering Plants

Cyrtandra is a large and actively growing genus of flowering plants, boasting around 600 species with new discoveries frequently adding to its diversity. This makes it the largest genus within the family Gesneriaceae.

Taxonomy and Nomenclature

  • Scientific Name: Cyrtandra J.R. Forst. & G. Forst.
  • Family: Gesneriaceae (African Violet family)
  • Synonyms: Pleuroschisma (mentioned as a section within Cyrtandra)
  • Etymology: The name Cyrtandra is derived from the Greek word 'kyrtos'.

Distribution and Habitat

  • Cyrtandra species are found across a wide geographical range, including:
    • Malesia
    • Polynesia
    • Micronesia
    • East from the Nicobar Islands
    • Sundaland region (Borneo and Peninsular Malaysia)
    • Philippines
    • Specific islands such as Kauai (Hawaii), O'ahu (Hawaii), Rarotonga (Cook Islands), Viti Levu (Fiji), and Vanua Levu (Fiji).
  • They thrive in various habitats, including cloud forests and pristine island locales.

Common Names

  • mapele (for Cyrtandra cyaneoides)
  • ha'iwale
  • kanawao ke'oke'o

Morphological Characteristics

  • Species within this genus exhibit morphological variability.
  • Some species, like Cyrtandra kalihii, are shrubs ranging from 1-5 meters tall with unbranched to few-branched stems.
  • Cyrtandra platyphylla is described as a sparsely or unbranched shrub.
  • Cyrtandra cordifolia has broadly cordate leaves.
  • Cyrtandra lessoniana features distinctive rugose leaves.

Genetic Information

  • Extensive hybridization occurs between different species of Cyrtandra.
  • Studies involve the PCR-amplified atpB/rbcL spacer region for phylogenetic analysis.

Conservation Status

  • Some species, like Cyrtandra waiolani, are listed as Extinct in the Wild (EW) by the IUCN Red List.

Further Information

  • ARKive provides photos and facts related to "Giffard's cyrtandra".
  • Discover Life offers information on the biology, natural history, ecology, identification, and distribution of Cyrtandra.