Melanophylla
Encyclopedia
Melanophylla is a genus
of flowering plant
s endemic
to Madagascar
. The genus contains seven species
of small trees and shrubs.
Under the APG II system
this genus was placed alone in family Melanophyllaceae, but with the rider that "[s]ome of the families are monogeneric and could possibly be merged when well-supported sister-group relationships have been established." In 2004, such a relationship was established between Melanophylla, Aralidium
and Torricellia, resulting in the transfer of the first two of these genera into Torricelliaceae
.
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 flowering plant
Flowering plant
The flowering plants , also known as Angiospermae or Magnoliophyta, are the most diverse group of land plants. Angiosperms are seed-producing plants like the gymnosperms and can be distinguished from the gymnosperms by a series of synapomorphies...
s endemic
Endemic (ecology)
Endemism is the ecological state of being unique to a defined geographic location, such as an island, nation or other defined zone, or habitat type; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsewhere. For example, all species of lemur are endemic to the...
to Madagascar
Madagascar
The Republic of Madagascar is an island country located in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern coast of Africa...
. The genus contains seven species
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
of small trees and shrubs.
Under the APG II system
APG II system
The APG II system of plant classification is the second, now obsolete, version of a modern, mostly molecular-based, system of plant taxonomy that was published in April 2003 by the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group. It was a revision of the first APG system, published in 1998, and was superseded in 2009...
this genus was placed alone in family Melanophyllaceae, but with the rider that "[s]ome of the families are monogeneric and could possibly be merged when well-supported sister-group relationships have been established." In 2004, such a relationship was established between Melanophylla, Aralidium
Aralidium
Aralidium is a genus in the plant family Torricelliaceae. It includes the single species Aralidium pinnatifidum, a small tree or shrub distributed in southeastern Asia, Malaysia, and Indonesia....
and Torricellia, resulting in the transfer of the first two of these genera into Torricelliaceae
Torricelliaceae
Torricelliaceae is a family of trees native to Madagascar and south-west Asia. It contains three genera, Aralidium, Melanophylla and Torricellia...
.
Species
- Melanophylla alnifoliaMelanophylla alnifoliaMelanophylla alnifolia is a species of plant in the Melanophyllaceae family. It is endemic to Madagascar. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests. It is threatened by habitat loss.-References:...
Baker - Melanophylla angustiorMelanophylla angustiorMelanophylla angustior is a species of plant in the Melanophyllaceae family. It is endemic to Madagascar. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests. It is threatened by habitat loss.-Source:...
McPherson & Rabenantoandro - Melanophylla aucubifoliaMelanophylla aucubifoliaMelanophylla aucubifolia is a species of plant in the Melanophyllaceae family. It is endemic to Madagascar. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests. It is threatened by habitat loss.-Source:...
Baker - Melanophylla crenataMelanophylla crenataMelanophylla crenata is a species of plant in the Melanophyllaceae family. It is endemic to Madagascar. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests. It is threatened by habitat loss.-References:...
Baker - Melanophylla madagascariensisMelanophylla madagascariensisMelanophylla madagascariensis is a species of plant in the Melanophyllaceae family. It is endemic to Madagascar. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests. It is threatened by habitat loss.-Source:...
Keraudren - Melanophylla modesteiMelanophylla modesteiMelanophylla modestei is a species of plant in the Melanophyllaceae family. It is endemic to Madagascar. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests. It is threatened by habitat loss.-Source:...
G.E. Schatz, Lowry & A.-E. Wolf - Melanophylla perrieriMelanophylla perrieriMelanophylla perrieri is a species of plant in the Melanophyllaceae family. It is endemic to Madagascar. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests. It is threatened by habitat loss.-Source:...
Keraudren