Ascarina

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Ascarina
Ascarina polystachya from Tahiti.
Ascarina polystachya from Tahiti.
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Magnoliophyta
Class: Magnoliopsida
Family: Chloranthaceae
Genus: Ascarina
J. R. Forst. & G. Forst., 1776
Species

Ascarina coursii
Ascarina lucida
Ascarina philippinensis
Ascarina polystachya
Ascarina rubricaulis

Ascarina is a plant genus of fewer than 20 species of small trees in the family Chloranthaceae. Ascarina are usually tropical cloud forest species that require high humidity and regular rainfall to thrive. The name comes from the Ascaris worm; the anthers of the Ascarina flower are thought to look similar to the worm. Most species are dioecious, producing unisexual male or female flowers on separate plants. However, Ascarina lucida, the only species in New Zealand, is monoecious.[1]

The basic chromosome number for the genus is n=13,[2] although some species have n=14.[3] The chromosome morphology is similar to that of Chloranthus.[2]

[edit] References

  1. ^ Moore, Lucy B. (1977). "The flowers of Ascarina lucida Hook. f. (Chloranthaceae)" (pdf). New Zealand Journal of Botany 15: 491–494. 
  2. ^ a b Okada, Hiroshi (1995). "Karyological studies of four genera of the Chloranthaceae". Plant Systematics and Evolution 195 (3-4): 177–185. doi:10.1007/BF00989294. 
  3. ^ Carr, Gerald D.; Gordon McPherson (1986). "Chromosome numbers of New Caledonian plants". Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden 73 (2): 486–489. doi:10.2307/2399127. 

[edit] External links

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