| Phoebe | |
|---|---|
| (Phoebe formosana). | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Magnoliids |
| Order: | Laurales |
| Family: | Lauraceae |
| Genus: | Phoebe Nees |
| Species | |
|
approximately 100, including: |
|
Phoebe is a genus of evergreen trees and shrubs belonging to the Laurel family, Lauraceae.
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They are widespread in tropical and subtropical Asia and neotropical America region. There are approximately 100 species in the genus Phoebe, 35 species occur in China.
The first description of the genusPhoebemade in 1836 by Christian Gottfried Daniel Nees von Esenbeck in Systema Laurinarum, p. 98 type species is Phoebe lanceolata (Nees).
Phoebe species are evergreen shrub or Trees with pinnately leaves. The hermaphroditic flowers are grouped in branched inflorescences. The flowers are white, small and fragrant and are arranged in terminal inflorescences in the form of panicles. The bracts are all equal or the outer slightly shorter than the inner ones. The Ovary is oval to spherical. The stigma is capitate or bowl-shaped. The fruits are enveloped by the enlarged bracts. Fruits are usually oval to spherical. the fruit, a berry have an only seed dispersed frequently by birds.
The ecological requirements of the genus, are those of the laurel forest in tropical mountain cloud forest, and like most of their counterparts laurifolia in the world, they are vigorous species with a great ability to populate the habitat that is conducive. The natural habitat is rainforest which are cloud-covered for much of the year. The species are found in forests that face threats of destruction by human deforestation. Because of the special lack of worldwide knowledge about the family lauraceae in general, very little is known about their diversity. The knowledge of this family to national level, is that to be expected in countries with limited economic means with the vast majority of species indeterminate or even poorly determined. On the other hand, a high percentage of recently described new species come from collections made in these countries. Therefore an increase in the study of family, at national level, is of utmost importance for the progress of the systematics of the family in general. Recent monographs of genera of lauraceae in small and medium genus, up to 100 species, have produced an high increase in the number of known species. This high increase in the number of species is expected for other genus, particularly for those with more than 150 species recorded, bringing an expected considerable increase in the total number of species of the family.
A related vegetal community evolved millions of years ago on the supercontinent of Gondwana, and species of this community are now found on several separate areas of the Southern Hemisphere, including South America, Africa, New Zealand, Australia and New Caledonia. These lauroide leaves plant communities are twofold to tropical climate and temperate climate, having the more temperate climate their origin in the named Antarctic flora.[1]
The genus phoebe is reported for Asia and America, currently includes 100 species, classified into tropical and subtropical south and south east Asia; 35 species in China with endemic species. They have a broad distribution across Norther South America, Venezuela, Colombia, Peru, Central America from Mexico to Panamá across Costa Rica, South East Asia, India, China, Philippines, Australia, Borneo, Papua New Guinea and into the western Pacific Ocean. The genus is threatened by habitat loss. Exploitation of the natural populations are in detriment of the rainforest. The differences between species are ecological adaptations to different environments over a relatively dry-wet climate. Species in less humid environment are smaller or less robust, with less abundant and thinner foliage and have oleifera cells that give trees a more fragrant aroma.
The Phoebe genus has led to endemic species on islands, widespread geographically by birds. Fruits are fleshy. The fruit, a berry, are an important food source for birds, usually this birds are from specialized genus: Columbidae, Turdidae, etc. Birds eat the whole fruit and regurgitate seeds intact, expanding the seeds in the best conditions for germination (ornitochory). In some species the seed dispersal is carried out by monkeys, chipmunks, rodents, Opossums or fishes.
The main centers are found inhabiting wet lands in tropical or subtropical montane forests or coastal rainforest or coastal temperate forest in low-altitude. The fragmentation of once more continuous area facilitated isolation of populations and this likely caused the increase in the rate of speciation.
They grow mostly in tropical forests and cloud forest, But has also been found in stubbles, pastures, in the coastal ranges and interior in wet areas to dry regions. The islander Phoebe species can not enduring the bad winter, from continental climate. Those garden cultivated species outside its natural distribution could be killed by continental winter.