Lagenandra is a genus of aquatic (to semi-aquatic) flowering plants in the aroid family, Araceae,[2] endemic to the Indian Subcontinent (Bangladesh, India and Sri Lanka).[3][4] The genus has gradually become more known through the aquascaping and aquarium hobby, in which several related Araceae genera are already highly prized and grown on a large scale (notably Anubias, Bucephalandra and Cryptocoryne); Lagenandra, however, is still relatively rare in cultivation or private collections.

Lagenandra
Lagenandra ovata (left) and
Lagenandra koenigii (right)[1]
Lagenandra toxicaria, in Kerala, South India.
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Alismatales
Family: Araceae
Subfamily: Aroideae
Tribe: Cryptocoryneae
Genus: Lagenandra
Dalzell

The genus is visually-similar to (and, in places, sympatric with) the Cryptocoryne, but is distinguishable for its involute vernation (leaf growth); comparatively, Cryptocoryne tends to exhibit convolute vernation.[5]

Description

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Helophytes, rarely rheophytes, with thick creeping rhizome; leaf blade simple, ovate to almost linear, fine venation transverse-reticulate; spathe tube with connate margins; spadix entirely enclosed in spathe tube; flowers unisexual, perigone absent. Differs from Cryptocoryne in having female flowers spirally arranged (pseudo-whorl in Lagenandra nairii, whorled in Lagenandra gomezii) and free; spathe tube "kettle" with connate margins (containing spadix) occupying entire spathe tube; spathe blade usually opening only slightly by a straight or twisted slit; berries free, opening from base; leaf ptyxis involute.[6]

Species

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Accepted species are as follows.[3] A key to the species described before 1986 was provided by Crusio and de Graaf.[7]

  1. Lagenandra bogneri de Wit - Sri Lanka
  2. Lagenandra dewitii Crusio & de Graaf - Sri Lanka
  3. Lagenandra erosa de Wit - Sri Lanka
  4. Lagenandra gomezii (Schott) Bogner & Jacobsen - Bangladesh
  5. Lagenandra jacobseni de Wit - Sri Lanka
  6. Lagenandra keralensis Sivadasan & Jaleel - Kerala
  7. Lagenandra koenigii (Schott) Thwaites - Sri Lanka
  8. Lagenandra lancifolia (Schott) Thwaites - Sri Lanka
  9. Lagenandra meeboldii (Engler) C.E.C. Fischer - southwestern India
  10. Lagenandra nairii Ramamurthy & Rajan - southwestern India
  11. Lagenandra ovata (L.) Thwaites - southwestern India, Sri Lanka
  12. Lagenandra praetermissa de Wit & Nicolson - Sri Lanka
  13. Lagenandra thwaitesii Engler - Sri Lanka
  14. Lagenandra toxicaria Dalzell - southwestern India
  15. Lagenandra undulata Sastry - Assam

References

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  1. ^ Pohl in Das Pflanzenreich of Engler - "Das Pflanzenreich" Vol. 73-74 (1920)
  2. ^ de Wit, H.C.D. (1978). "Revisie van het genus Lagenandra Dalzell (Araceae)". Mededelingen Landbouwhogeschool Wageningen. 78 (13): 1–45.
  3. ^ a b Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families
  4. ^ Bastmeijer, Jan D. "Lagenandra gallery". Retrieved 2009-01-09.
  5. ^ Bown, Demi (2000). Aroids: Plants of the Arum Family. Timber Press. ISBN 0-88192-485-7.
  6. ^ Simon J. Mayo, Josef Bogner, Peter C. Boyce: The Genera of Araceae. 1. published, Royal Botanic Gardens/ Kew Publishing, London 1997, ISBN 1-900347-22-9 (Full-text as PDF-file; Continental Printing, Belgium 1997).
  7. ^ Crusio W.E. and de Graaf A. (1986). "Lagenandra dewitii Crusio et de Graaf (Araceae), eine neue Art aus Sri Lanka". Aqua Planta. 11: 56–59.