Lepidobotrys is a flowering plant genus in the family Lepidobotryaceae. It contains only one species, Lepidobotrys staudtii.[2] L. staudtii is a small African tree, ranging from Cameroon eastward to Ethiopia.[3]

Lepidobotrys
Lepidobotrys staudtii, from Vegetation der Erde (1915)
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Celastrales
Family: Lepidobotryaceae
Genus: Lepidobotrys
Engl.
Species:
L. staudtii
Binomial name
Lepidobotrys staudtii
Engl.

The tannin 3,4,5-tri-O-galloylquinic acid is found in L. staudtii.[4]

Taxonomic history

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Lepidobotrys staudtii was named and described by Adolf Engler in 1902 and placed by him in the family Linaceae.[5] It was regarded as somewhat of an anomaly and during the 20th century, was assigned to various families by different authors. Hans G. Hallier[6] and Reinhard Knuth[7] put it in Oxalidaceae. In 1950, Jean Leonard became the first to put it in a family by itself, which he thought to be close to Linaceae.[8] Arthur Cronquist, agreeing with Hallier and Knuth, put it in Oxalidaceae.[9] Adding to the confusion was the lack of any strong basis for placing these and related families into orders.

Etymology

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Lepidobotrys is derived from Greek, meaning 'scale-cluster'. The name is in reference to the cone-like arrangement of its bracts, which extend under the flowers.[10]

References

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  1. ^ Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI) & IUCN SSC Global Tree Specialist Group (2019). "Lepidobotrys staudtii". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2019: e.T143655691A143719523. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-1.RLTS.T143655691A143719523.en. Retrieved 22 May 2023.
  2. ^ Klaus Kubitzky. "Lepidobotryaceae" In: Klaus Kubitzki (ed.). The Families and Genera of Vascular Plants vol.VI. Springer-Verlag: Berlin,Heidelberg, Germany (2004).
  3. ^ Vernon H. Heywood, Richard K. Brummitt, Ole Seberg, and Alastair Culham. Flowering Plant Families of the World. Firefly Books: Ontario, Canada. (2007).
  4. ^ 3,4,5-tri-O-galloylquinic acid on home.ncifcrf.gov
  5. ^ Adolf Engler (May 1902). section: Linaceae africanae In: "Beitrage zur Flora von Afrika" In: Botanische Jahrbücher für Systematik, Pflanzengeschichte und Pflanzengeographie 32(1):108 (see External links below)
  6. ^ Hans G. Hallier. Lepidobotrys Engl.: "Die Oxalidaceen und die Geraniaceen" Beihefte zum Botanischen Centralblatt 39(2):163.
  7. ^ Reinhard G.P. Knuth. "Oxalidaceae" In: Adolf Engler and Karl Prantl. Die Naturlichen Pflanzenfamilien ed.2 volume 19a:40-41.
  8. ^ Jean J.G. Leonard (Jun1950). "Lepidobotrys Engl., type d'une famille nouvelle de Spermatophytes: les Lepidobotryaceae" Bulletin du Jardin botanique de l'Etat a Bruxelles 20(1):38.
  9. ^ Arthur Cronquist. An Integrated System of Classification of Flowering Plants. Columbia University Press: New York 1981.
  10. ^ Gledhill, David (2008). "The Names of Plants". Cambridge University Press. ISBN 9780521866453 (hardback), ISBN 9780521685535 (paperback). pp 234
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