Alzatea

Alzatea verticillata is the only species of one genus of the plant family Alzatea the Alzateaceae within the order of Myrtenartigen ( Myrtales ). The distribution is neotropisch.

Description

Appearance and leaves

Alzatea verticillata grows as evergreen shrub or small tree that can reach heights of growth of up to 20 meters. Sometimes they grow on other trees as hemiepiphytes and can be designed similar to strangler figs with multiple stems. Young branches are often edgy and have a purple rind before peeling. Older branches have a circular cross section with reddish-brown bark.

The, opposite or whorled arranged as in most other Myrtenartigen at the ends of branches leaves shortly petiolate can be sitting up ( distinguishing the two subspecies ). The simple leaf blades are more or less leathery, oblong- obovate, elliptic or oblong - ovate, glabrous with a glossy top and Fiedernervatur. There are two or more side blades intrapetiolare present at the base of the leaves.

Inflorescences and flowers

Many (10 to 30) flowers are in axillary at the ends of the branches, or zymösen aged men inflorescences together. There are no bracts present. The relatively small, hermaphroditic flowers are radial symmetry and fünfzählig. It is formed a short hypanthium. The five yellowish- green sepals are first fleshy, leathery and bell-shaped partly covered later. Petals absent. It's just a circle (the outer ) with five free, fertile stamens present. The green stamens are compressed and short, while about the same as the dust bag. The fleshy, heart-shaped anthers are pink with white edges. The nectar Diskus is lobed. The two carpels are fused to a half under continuous, two-chambered ovary. On the side slightly flattened ovary, a short style sitting with a capitate stigma.

Fruit and seeds

The loculicidale capsule fruits are relatively small, round, fleshy and dry. They stain reddish and open at maturity. The horizontally flattened capsule fruits are surrounded by durable yellow calyx and contain many (40 to 60) seeds. The flattened elongated, delicate seeds are surrounded by a small, membranous wings.

Systematics and distribution

It has a purely Neotropical distribution. Their areas are in humid mountain forests of Costa Rica and Panama in Central America and south of Peru and Bolivia in tropical South America.

The Alzateaceae family is most closely related to two other small families of the order Myrtales: Penaeaceae from southern Africa and Crypteroniaceae with paläotropischer distribution. It is believed that their common ancestor was located in the Cretaceous Period in western Gondwana.

The Alzateaceae family consists of only one genus Alzatea Ruiz & Pav with only one type:

• Alzatea verticillata Ruiz & Pav ( Syn: Alzatea mexicana F.Dietr. ): With two closely related subspecies: Alzatea verticillata subsp. amplifolia SAGraham: It has larger and more oval, more or less sedentary leaves and occurs in all of Costa Rica and Panama.
• Alzatea verticillata Ruiz & Pav subsp. verticillata. It has smaller leaves petiolate leaves and is widespread in the eastern escarpment of the Andes in South America.

Swell

• The Alzateaceae in APWebsite family. (Section Description and systematics)
• The Alzateaceae at DELTA by L. Watson & MJ Dallwitz family. ( Description section )
• Sue Frisby: Neotropical Alzateaceae: Online neotropikey at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, UK.