Leptopus

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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. 2.0 2.1 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

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