Leptopus

For the genus Leptopus Klotzsch & Garcke, see its current synonym Euphorbia.
Leptopus
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Eudicots
(unranked): Rosids
Order: Malpighiales
Family: Phyllanthaceae
Tribe: Poranthereae
Genus: Leptopus
Decaisne
Type species
Leptopus cordifolius
Decaisne
Species
  • Leptopus australis
  • Leptopus chinensis
  • Leptopus clarkei
  • Leptopus cordifolius
  • Leptopus emicans
  • Leptopus fangdingianus
  • Leptopus hainanensis
  • Leptopus pachyphyllus
  • Leptopus robinsonii

Leptopus, the maidenbushes, are a group of plants in the flowering plant family Phyllanthaceae. Leptopus is one of eight genera in the tribe Poranthereae [1] and comprises 9 species.[2] It is the sister of Actephila. The type species is Leptopus cordifolius.[3] The range of the genus is tropical and subtropical Asia. The name is derived from two Greek words, leptos, "thin, slender, or small", and pous, "foot", a reference to slender pedicels.[4]

Leptopus consists of monoecious herbs and shrubs with simple, entire leaves and small, green flowers. The genus was revised in 2009.[5]

Leptopus fangdingianus had been placed by some authors in a separate genus, Archileptopus, but it was shown in 2007 that recognition of Archileptopus makes Leptopus paraphyletic.[6] Phyllanthopsis phyllanthoides has been placed in Leptopus as well as in Andrachne. In 2007, it was shown to not properly belong to either genus and in 2008 was assigned to a new genus, Phyllanthopsis.[2]

Synonymy

The following generic names have included one or more species of Leptopus. These synonyms are not necessarily valid or in current use.

References

  1. ^ Petra Hoffmann, Hashendra S. Kathriarachchi, and Kenneth J. Wurdack. 2006. "A Phylogenetic Classification of Phyllanthaceae." Kew Bulletin 61(1):37-53.
  2. ^ a b Maria S. Vorontsova and Petra Hoffmann. 2008. "A phylogenetic classification of tribe Poranthereae (Phyllanthaceae)." Kew Bulletin 63(1):41-59.
  3. ^ Leptopus In: Index Nominum Genericorum. In: Regnum Vegetabile (see External links below).
  4. ^ Umberto Quattrocchi. 2000. CRC World Dictionary of Plant Names volume II. CRC Press: Boca Raton; New York; Washington,DC;, USA. London, UK. ISBN 978-0-8493-2676-9.
  5. ^ Maria S. Vorontsova and Petra Hoffmann. 2009. "Revision of the genus Leptopus (Phyllanthaceae, Euphorbiaceae sensu lato)". Kew Bulletin 64(4):627-644.
  6. ^ Maria S. Vorontsova, Petra Hoffmann, Olivier Maurin, and Mark W. Chase. 2007. "Phylogenetics of tribe Poranthereae (Phyllanthaceae)." American Journal of Botany 94(12):2026-2040.

External links