Ardisia

Ardisia
Ardisia crenata
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Ericales
Family: Primulaceae
Subfamily: Myrsinoideae
Genus: Ardisia
Sw.
Type species
Ardisia tinifolia
Species

Over 700, see list of Ardisia species

Synonyms
  • Afrardisia Mez
  • Amatlania Lundell
  • Auriculardisia Lundell
  • Bladhia Thunb.
  • Chontalesia Lundell
  • Climacandra Miq.
  • Graphardisia (Mez) Lundell
  • Icacorea Aubl.
  • Niara Dennst. ex Kostel.
  • Oerstedianthus Lundell
  • Pimelandra A. DC.
  • Pyrgus Lour.
  • Stigmatococca Willd. ex Schult. & Schult. f.

Ardisia (coralberry or marlberry) is a genus of flowering plants in the family Primulaceae. It was in the former Myrsinaceae family now recognised as the myrsine sub-family Myrsinoideae.[1] They are distributed in the Americas, Asia, Australia, and the Pacific Islands, mainly in the tropics.[2][3] There are over 700 accepted species.[4] One species, Ardisia japonica is one of the 50 fundamental herbs in traditional Chinese medicine.

These are trees, shrubs, and subshrubs. Most have alternately arranged leaves. Flowers are borne in many forms of inflorescence. The flowers have usually 4 or 5 green sepals and a bell-shaped corolla of usually 4 or 5 white or pink petals. The fruit is a somewhat fleshy drupe.[2][3] The defining characteristic of the genus is the small tube formed at the center of the flower by the stamens, which are joined at their bases.[5]

Several Ardisia species are the sources of the chemical compounds known as ardisiaquinones.[6]

  1. ^ Angiosperm Phylogeny Group (2009). "An update of the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group classification for the orders and families of flowering plants: APG III". Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society. 161 (2): 116 (105–121). doi:10.1111/j.1095-8339.2009.00996.x. hdl:10654/18083.
  2. ^ a b Ardisia. Flora of North America.
  3. ^ a b Ardisia. Flora of China.
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference powo was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ Pipoly, J. J. and J. M. Ricketson. (2005). New species and nomenclatural notes in Mesoamerican Ardisia (Myrsinaceae). Novon 15(1), 190-201.
  6. ^ Narayanaswamy, Radhakrishnan; Veeraragavan, Vijayakumar (2020). "Natural products as antiinflammatory agents". Bioactive Natural Products. Studies in Natural Products Chemistry. Vol. 67. pp. 269–306. doi:10.1016/B978-0-12-819483-6.00008-4. ISBN 9780128194836. S2CID 224940163.