Actephila

Actephila
Herbarium specimen of "Actephila excelsa" v. "javanica"
Herbarium specimen of Actephila excelsa v. javanica
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Malpighiales
Family: Phyllanthaceae
Subfamily: Phyllanthoideae
Tribe: Poranthereae
Genus: Actephila
Blume[1]
Synonyms[1]

Actephila is a genus of about 36 species of flowering plants in the family Phyllanthaceae native to Southeast Asia, China, the Himalayas, Papuasia and northern Australia. Plants in the genus Actephila are monoecious trees or shrubs with entire leaves that are usually arranged alternately along the branches, flowers arranged singly or in clusters in leaf axils usually with 5 sepals and petals.

Description

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Plants in the genus Actephila are monoecious, evergreen trees, shrubs or subshrubs. Their leaves are simple and usually entire, with pinnate veins. The flowers are arranged singly or in clusters in leaf axils with separate male and female flowers, or sometimes male and female flowers on separate plants. The flowers have 4 to 6 overlapping sepals and usually 2 to 6 petals, male flowers with 3 to 6 stamens, and female flowers with a 3 locular ovary. The fruit is a lobed capsule.[2][3]

Taxonomy

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The genus Actephila was first formally described in 1826 by Carl Ludwig Blume in his Bijdragen tot de Flora van Nederlandsch Indie.[1][4] The name of the genus is derived from two Greek words, akte, "the seashore", and philos, "loving", referring to a coastal habitat.[5]

Species list

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The following is a list of Actephila species accepted by Plants of the World Online as at July 2024:[1]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d "Actephila". Plants of the World Online. Retrieved 2 July 2024.
  2. ^ James, Teresa A.; Harden, Gwen J. "Genus Actephila". Royal Botanic Garden, Sydney. Retrieved 3 July 2024.
  3. ^ Forster, Paul I.; Kodela, Phillip J. "Actephila Blume". Flora of Australia. Australian Biological Resources Study, Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water: Canberra. Retrieved 3 July 2024.
  4. ^ Blume, Carl Ludwig (1826). Bijdragen tot de flora van Nederlandsch Indië. Batavia: Ter Lands Drukkerij. p. 581. Retrieved 3 July 2024.
  5. ^ Umberto Quattrocchi. 2000. CRC World Dictionary of Plant Names volume I. CRC Press: Boca Raton; New York; Washington, DC, USA. London, UK. ISBN 978-0-8493-2675-2
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