Omphalea

Omphalea
Omphalea triandra[1]
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Malpighiales
Family: Euphorbiaceae
Subfamily: Acalyphoideae
Tribe: Omphaleae
Genus: Omphalea
L.
Synonyms[2]
  • Omphalandria P.Browne, rejected name
  • Duchola Adans.
  • Ronnowia Buchoz
  • Hecatea Thouars
  • Hecaterium Kunze ex Rchb.
  • Hebecocca Beurl.
  • Neomphalea Pax & K.Hoffm.
Distribution of the four Madagascan species of Omphalea

Omphalea is a plant genus of the family Euphorbiaceae first described as a genus in 1759.[3][4] It is native to tropical parts of the Americas, the West Indies, Asia, Australia, and Africa (including Madagascar).[2][5][6]

Omphalea has monoecious, apetalous flowers and fleshy fruits with hard centers.[7]

  1. ^ 1821 illustration from The botanical cabinet, consisting of coloured delineations of plants from all countries by Conrad Loddiges. London, C. Loddiges & Sons, etc., 1821, volume 6 (plate 519).
  2. ^ a b Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families
  3. ^ Linnaeus, Carl von. 1759. Systema Naturae, Editio Decima 2: 1254, 1264, 1378 in Latin
  4. ^ Tropicos
  5. ^ Govaerts, R., Frodin, D.G. & Radcliffe-Smith, A. (2000). World Checklist and Bibliography of Euphorbiaceae (and Pandaceae) 1-4: 1-1622. The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
  6. ^ Schatz, George E. "Euphorbiaceae - Omphalea oppositifolia". MBG Images of Euphorbiaceae in Madagascar. Missouri Botanical Garden. Retrieved 2008-02-02.
  7. ^ Gillespie, Lynn J. (1997). "Omphalea (Euphorbiaceae) in Madagascar: A New Species and a New Combination". Novon. 7 (2): 127–136. doi:10.2307/3392184. JSTOR 3392184.