Aphanopetalum
Encyclopedia
Aphanopetalum is a genus
of twining shrub
s or vines in the family Aphanopetalaceae which are endemic to Australia
.
The genus is placed alone in family Aphanopetalaceae, which is in turn now placed in order Saxifragales
. Until recently this family was placed in Oxalidales
, and before that the genus was included in family Cunoniaceae
, also within Oxalidales
.
There are two species:
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
of twining shrub
Shrub
A shrub or bush is distinguished from a tree by its multiple stems and shorter height, usually under 5–6 m tall. A large number of plants may become either shrubs or trees, depending on the growing conditions they experience...
s or vines in the family Aphanopetalaceae which are endemic to Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
.
The genus is placed alone in family Aphanopetalaceae, which is in turn now placed in order Saxifragales
Saxifragales
Saxifragales is an order of flowering plants. Their closest relatives are a large eudicot group known as the rosids by the definition of rosids given in the APG II classification system. Some authors define the rosids more widely, including Saxifragales as their most basal group. Saxifragales is...
. Until recently this family was placed in Oxalidales
Oxalidales
The Oxalidales are an order of flowering plants, included within the rosid subgroup of eudicots. The following families are typically placed here:* Family Brunelliaceae* Family Cephalotaceae * Family Connaraceae...
, and before that the genus was included in family Cunoniaceae
Cunoniaceae
The Cunoniaceae is a family of 26 genera and about 350 species of woody plants in the Antarctic flora, with many laurifolia species with glossy leaves endemic to laurel forest habitat. The family is native to Australia, New Caledonia, New Guinea, New Zealand, southern South America, the Mascarene...
, also within Oxalidales
Oxalidales
The Oxalidales are an order of flowering plants, included within the rosid subgroup of eudicots. The following families are typically placed here:* Family Brunelliaceae* Family Cephalotaceae * Family Connaraceae...
.
There are two species:
- Aphanopetalum clematideumAphanopetalum clematideumAphanopetalum clematideum is a species of twining shrub or vines that grows in the Geraldton Sandplains region of Western Australia....
(Harv.) Domin, endemic to limestone cliffs of south western Australia - Aphanopetalum resinosumAphanopetalum resinosumAphanopetalum resinosum, known as the Gum Vine is a small plant growing in rainforest or eucalyptus forest in eastern Australia, from Nadgee in the south eastern corner of New South Wales north to Queensland....
Endl. - Gum Vine, endemic to southern Queensland and New South Wales