Landolphia
Landolphia watsoniana
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Gentianales
Family: Apocynaceae
Subfamily: Rauvolfioideae
Tribe: Willughbeieae
Subtribe: Landolphiinae
Genus: Landolphia
P.Beauv.
Synonyms[1]
  • Alstonia Scop., rejected name
  • Anthoclitandra (Pierre) Pichon
  • Aphanostylis Pierre
  • Carpodinus R.Br. ex G.Don
  • Djeratonia Pierre
  • Faterna Noronha ex A.DC.
  • Jasminochyla (Stapf) Pichon
  • Vahea Poir., rejected name
  • Willughbeia Klotzsch 1861 not Roxb. 1820

Landolphia is a genus of flowering plants in the family Apocynaceae first described as a genus in 1806. They take the form of vines that scramble over host trees. Landolphia is native to tropical Africa.[1]

Characteristics

There are about fifty species of Landolphia in continental Africa and about fourteen more species in Madagascar. They are typically found in forest habitats in tropical West and Central Africa, scrambling over trees, but a few species are large shrubs. They have simple, glossy green leaves in opposite pairs, jasmine-like flowers with tubes and parts in fives, and hard-shelled, fleshy fruits with several seeds embedded in the pulp. After fruiting, the flower stem develops into a twisting tendril which branches near its tip.[2][3]

Uses

Members of this genus exude latex when the bark is damaged. The vines have traditionally been used to supply rubber but that function has increasingly been taken over by the rubber tree, Hevea brasiliensis which can be conveniently grown in plantations. The latex from these vines is still used to a limited extent for rubber production. Many species have large edible fruits which are sweet and juicy and rich in beta-carotene. However, commercialisation of the crop is difficult because of the nature of the vines, their need for suitable supports and the lack of knowledge of suitable cultivation techniques.[2]

Species[1]
  1. Landolphia angustisepala - Gabon, Zaïre
  2. Landolphia axillaris - Gabon
  3. Landolphia breviloba - Gabon, Congo
  4. Landolphia bruneelii - Gabon, Congo, Cameroon, Zaïre
  5. Landolphia buchananii - C + E + S Africa
  6. Landolphia calabarica - W Africa
  7. Landolphia camptoloba - C Africa
  8. Landolphia congolensis - C Africa
  9. Landolphia cuneifolia - S Zaïre, NW Zambia
  10. Landolphia dewevrei - C Africa
  11. Landolphia dulcis - W + C Africa
  12. Landolphia elliptica - Madagascar
  13. Landolphia eminiana - C + E Africa
  14. Landolphia exilis - Madagascar
  15. Landolphia ferrea - Gabon, Congo
  16. Landolphia flavidiflora - Cameroon
  17. Landolphia foretiana - W + C Africa
  18. Landolphia fragrans - Madagascar
  19. Landolphia glabra - C Africa
  20. Landolphia glandulosa - Gabon, Cameroon
  21. Landolphia gossweileri - SE Angola, Zambia
  22. Landolphia gummifera - Madagascar
  23. Landolphia heudelotii - W Africa
  24. Landolphia hirsuta - W Africa
  25. Landolphia hispidula - Madagascar
  26. Landolphia incerta - W + C + S Africa
  27. Landolphia jumellei - C Africa
  28. Landolphia kirkii E + C + SE Africa
  29. Landolphia lanceolata - Congo, Zaire, Angola
  30. Landolphia landolphioides - C + E Africa
  31. Landolphia le-testui - C Africa
  32. Landolphia lecomtei - C Africa
  33. Landolphia leptantha - Gabon, Cameroon, Nigeria
  34. Landolphia ligustrifolia - Congo, Zaire, Gabon, Cameroon
  35. Landolphia macrantha - Sierra Leone, Guinea
  36. Landolphia mandrianambo - Madagascar
  37. Landolphia mannii - C Africa
  38. Landolphia maxima - Gabon, Cameroon, Nigeria
  39. Landolphia membranacea - W Africa
  40. Landolphia micrantha - W Africa
  41. Landolphia myrtifolia - Madagascar
  42. Landolphia nitens - Madagascar
  43. Landolphia nitidula - Liberia, Ivory Coast
  44. Landolphia noctiflora - Gabon
  45. Landolphia obliquinervia - Madagascar
  46. Landolphia owariensis - much of tropical Africa
  47. Landolphia parvifolia - C + E + S Africa
  48. Landolphia platyclada - Madagascar
  49. Landolphia pyramidata - Gabon, Central African Republic
  50. Landolphia reticulata - Gabon
  51. Landolphia robustior - C Africa
  52. Landolphia rufescens - Zaïre, Angola, Zambia
  53. Landolphia sphaerocarpa - Madagascar
  54. Landolphia stenogyna - Gabon, Cameroon, Nigeria
  55. Landolphia subrepanda - C Africa
  56. Landolphia tenuis - Madagascar
  57. Landolphia thollonii - Zaïre, Angola, Congo
  58. Landolphia togolana - W Africa
  59. Landolphia trichostigma - Madagascar
  60. Landolphia uniflora - Gabon, Cameroon, Nigeria
  61. Landolphia × utilis - Ivory Coast
  62. Landolphia villosa - C Africa
  63. Landolphia violacea - C Africa
  64. Landolphia watsoniana - Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique

References

  1. 1 2 3 Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families
  2. 1 2 Lost Crops of Africa. Vol. 3. National Academies Press. 2008. pp. 272–.
  3. ↑ Omino, Elizabeth (2002). Flora of Tropical East Africa: Apocynaceae. CRC Press. p. 18. ISBN 978-90-5809-409-4.
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