Adenia

Adenia pechuelii

Adenia is a plant genus of the family of the passion flower plants ( Passifloraceae ). The botanical name of the genus comes from the Greek word for aden, gland ' and refers to the almost always present in glands on the leaves of plants.

Description

Vegetative characteristics

Adenia species grow as herbaceous, more or less woody, perennial climbing plant with appearing from the leaf axils tendrils or sometimes called upright herbs or small shrubs mostly without tendrils. They often form from a rhizome or tuber or a swollen main stem ( caudex ), which is sometimes covered with thorns or barbed or may even be bald or hairy tomentose. The leaves are simple and entire, lobed, palmate or divided composed spurious trained and with no, one or two nectar glands provided. The glands are at the base of the leaf blade, at or near the top of the petiole. The tiny stipules are triangular or kidney-shaped.

Generative features

The axillary inflorescences are racemose, the middle or the first three flowers are often replaced by tendrils. The tiny bracts and Brakteolen are shaped triangular or subulate. The unisexual, hermaphrodite or trained with both features flowers are bell-shaped or urn- shaped or funnel shaped to Roehrig. You are always bare and usually greenish colored to yellowish. The flower cup is saucer- shaped, becherig or Roehrig formed. The 4-6, but mostly 5 goat leagues, persistent sepals are free or partially fused into one, sometimes long, calyx tube. The 4-6, but usually 5 or slotted fringed petals are also detached, enclosed by the calyx and sometimes fused with the calyx tube. The corona can ring consisting of 5 cap-shaped segments of a slotted edge, pellicular, be made of hair -like appendages consisting or missing entirely. Mostly it is provided with 5 membranous partitions over the petals. These combine the flower cups with the stamen tube, thus forming five subjects from. The 5 tongue- or belt-shaped Nektarschüppchen are attached to or near the base of the flower cup and are in transition to the petals or missing.

The more or less berry-like, rarely somewhat woody fruits are 3-5 klappige capsules with a leathery or fleshy pericarp. They are greenish to yellow- colored or bright red. The more or less compressed seeds are provided with a crusty - grubigen Testa and usually enclosed by a membranous to fleshy, sometimes juicy aril.

Dissemination

The species of the genus are tropical and southern Africa, widespread in Madagascar, India, Sri Lanka, Malaysia's and in northern Australia.

System

The genus was erected in 1775 by Peter Forsskål. The type species is Adenia venenata. As synonyms for the genus Modecca Lam., Kolbia P.Beauv. , Blepharanthes Sm, Paschanthus Burch. , Erythrocarpos M.Roem. , Microblepharis M.Roem. , Clemanthus Klotzsch, Machadoa Welw apply. ex Benth. & Hook. f, Keramanthus Hook. f, Ophiocaulon Hook. f, Jaeggia Schinz and Echinothammus Engl.

Based on the position of the leaf glands, the morphology of the flower heads of the flowers, as well as the construction is the class of WJ de Wilde divided into six sections:

• Section Microblepharis ( Wight & Arn. ) Engl: Most climbing plants, often with a caudex or underground tubers, one, two or rarely 4 glands at the base of the leaf blade, the inflorescences are in the leaf axils or on short shoots, the dioecious plants bear unisexual flowers, the flower cups is about as long as wide the sepals and petals are free, the corona is like a membrane formed or consisting of filaments or hairs, rarely missing, the stamens set at the base of the flower cup, the Nektarschüppchen are often present, the scar is of free style arms; 10 species in eastern and southern Africa, one species in Madagascar, 5 species in Southeast Asia.
• Section Adenia: Most caudexbildende or growing with tubers climbing plants with one or two glands at the base of the leaf blade, the inflorescences are in leaf axils or mostly on short shoots, the dioecious plants bear unisexual flowers, the flower cups is formed much longer than wide, are the sepals and petals free, the corona is membrane- like design or filaments consisting or unavailable, the stamens set at different points in flower cups, which Nektarschüppchen are present or absent, the scar is of free style arms or rarely to a single long pen; 3 species in East Africa, 20 species in Madagascar.
• Section Blepharanthes ( Wight & Arn. ) Engl: Small to large, sometimes caudexbildende or tubers growing vines or erect herbs with tubers with no, one or two glands at the base of the leaf blade with the exception of Adenia - lobata group, there are the glands on the ears, the dioecious or polygamous plants bear unisexual or hermaphrodite flowers that stalked or almost seated inflorescences are in the leaf axils, the flower cups can be made ​​flat to very long, the sepals are partially fused into a calyx tube, the corona consists of threads or hairs, rarely absent, the stamens set at the base of the flower cup, the Nektarschüppchen are present, the scar is of free style arms; 34 species in Africa, two species in South Asia.
• Section Erythrocarpos ( M.Roem. ) De Wilde: Not succulent, large lianas with two glands on ears at the base of the leaf blade, the inflorescences are in leaf axils, the dioecious or rarely monoecious plants bear unisexual flowers, the sepals are often fused into a narrow tube, the petals almost always with the calyx tube grown, the corona is missing, the stamens set at the base of the flower cup, the Nektarschüppchen missing, the scar is of free style arms or is formed almost sessile, the ripe fruits are in contrast to the other sections often colored red; 7 species in Southeast Asia and Malaysia.
• Section Paschanthus ( Burch. ) Harms: Small, tuberous climbing plant with two glands at the base of the leaf blade, the inflorescences are in leaf axils and carry polygamous flowers, the sepals are partially fused into a narrow tube, the petals are fused with the calyx tube, the corona is missing, the stamens set on the side of the flower tube, which Nektarschüppchen missing, the scar is of free style arms; 1 species in southern and southwestern Africa.
• Section Ophiocaulon ( Hook. f ) Harms: Great climbing plants, sometimes forming tubers with a gland at the base of the leaf blade at one spateligen appendage of the midrib, the inflorescences are in leaf axils on special flower-bearing shoots, which dioecious plants bear unisexual flowers, the flat blossoms cup is formed saucer -shaped, the which sepals and the petals are usually free, the corona is missing or consists of 5 fleshy caps or as meaty edge, rarely as two edges, designed the stamens set at the base of the flower cup, the anthers are more or less inclined inwards, as opposed to the other sections, where they are straight, the Nektarschüppchen are almost sessile: 12 species in Africa.

A selection of Types:

• Section Microblepharis ( Wight & Arn. ) Engl Adenia aculeata Engl
• Adenia fruticosa Burtt Davy Adenia fruticosa subsp. fruticosa
• Adenia fruticosa subsp. simplicifolia de Wilde
• Adenia fruticosa subsp. trifoliolata de Wilde

• Adenia penangiana var parvifolia (Pierre ex Gagnep. ) De Wilde
• Adenia penangiana var penangiana

• Adenia wightiana subsp. africana de Wilde
• Adenia wightiana subsp. wightiana

• Adenia ballyi Verdc.
• Adenia firingalavensis ( Drake ex Jum. ) Harms Adenia firingalavensis var firingalavensis
• Adenia firingalavensis var stylosa ( H.Perrier ) de Wilde

• Adenia globosa subsp. curvata ( Verdc. ) de Wilde
• Adenia globosa subsp. globosa
• Adenia globosa subsp. pseudoglobosa ( Verdc. ) de Wilde

• Adenia olaboensis var olaboensis
• Adenia olaboensis var parva de Wilde

• Adenia digitata Engl
• Adenia dolichosiphon Harms
• Adenia ellenbeckii Harms
• Adenia epigea H.Perrier
• Adenia erecta de Wilde
• Adenia goetzei Harms
• Adenia hastata Schinz Adenia hastata var glandulifera de Wilde
• Adenia hastata hastata var

• Adenia lanceolata subsp. lanceolata
• Adenia lanceolata subsp. scheffleri ( Engl & Harms ) de Wilde

• Adenia cardiophylla ( Mast. ) Engl
• Adenia cordifolia (Blume ) Engl
• Adenia heterophylla ( flower) Coord Adenia heterophylla subsp. heterophylla
• Adenia heterophylla subsp. australis ( DC.) de Wilde

• Adenia repanda ( Burch. ) Engl

• Adenia gummifera Harms Adenia gummifera var cerifera de Wilde
• Adenia gummifera var gummifera

Swell

• W. J. de Wilde: Adenia. In: Urs Eggli (ed.): Succulents Encyclopedia. Volume 2 Dicotyledons ( dicots ), Ulm, Stuttgart 2002, ISBN 3800139154, pp. 359-374.