Omphalea

Omphalea
Omphalea triandra
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Eudicots
(unranked):	Rosids
Order:	Malpighiales
Family:	Euphorbiaceae
Subfamily:	Acalyphoideae
Tribe:	Omphaleae
Genus:	Omphalea L.
Species
Omphalea bracteata Omphalea brasiliensis Omphalea celata Omphalea diandra - Jamaica navelspurge Omphalea grandifolia Omphalea hypoleuca Omphalea malayana Omphalea megacarpa Omphalea oleifera Omphalea queenslandiae Omphalea sargentii Omphalea triandra - Jamaican cobnut, pop nut Omphalea tricocca Omphalea oppositifolia - From Madagascar[1] et al.

Omphalea is a plant genus of the family Euphorbiaceae and the only genus of its tribe (Omphaleae). It comprises 17 species, all of which are tropical shrubs, trees or lianas. Twelve of them are native to the Americas, 4 are endemic to Madagascar and 1 to Africa. They have monoecious, apetalous flowers and fleshy fruits with hard centers.^[2]

Distribution

Distribution of the four Madagascan species of Omphalea

The plants are toxic and few animals can eat them. Diurnal moths of the subfamily Uraniinae feed on them. These moths are species of the genus Urania in the Americas, and of the genus Chrysiridia in Africa.

Old World species

The single African species from Tanzania is O. mansfeldiana Mildbraed, a liana. The Madagascan species are O. ankaranensis, a shrub from the limestone karst of northern Madagascar, O. palmata Leandri, a dry forest shrub closely related to O. ankaranensis but from western Madagascar, O. occidentalis Leandri, also a dry forest species of western Madagascar, and O. oppositifilia (Willdenow), a tree from the east coast rainforest of Madagascar.^[2]

The Madagascan sunset moth (Chrysiridia rhipheus) feeds on all four of these species.

Synonymy

This genus is also known as Duchola Adans., Hebecocca Beurl., Hecatea Thouars, Neomphalea Pax & K.Hoffm., Omphalandria P.Browne and Ronnowia Buc'hoz.

References