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Lettowianthus stellatus

Overview

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Near Threatened

Threat status

Interesting Facts

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Description

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Family Annonaceae

Trees , shrubs , rarely woody vines , deciduous or evergreen , with aromatic bark , leaves, and flowers. Pith septate to diaphragmed . Leaves alternate, simple , without stipules, petiolate . Leaf blade pinnately veined, unlobed, margins entire. Inflorescences axillary to leaf scars on old wood or to leaves on new shoots , solitary flowers or few-flowered fascicles, pedunculate ; bracts or bracteoles present or absent. Flowers bisexual , rarely unisexual ; receptacle becoming enlarged, elevated or flat; perianth hypogynous, segments valvate or imbricate; sepals persistent , (2-) 3(-4), distinct or basally connate ; petals either 6 in 2 unequal whorls of 3 with petals of outer whorl larger, petals of inner whorl fleshier than the outer, often with corrugate nectary zone, or petals 6-12(-15), nearly equal or unequal, veins impressed on inner face ; stamens 10-20 or very numerous , hypogynous, spirally arranged , forming ball or flat-topped mass; filament short, stout; anther linear to oblong-linear, extrorse , longitudinally dehiscent ; connective apically elongate , connivent; pistils 1-many, superior, 1-carpellate, 1-locular, distinct or connate to various degrees with at least stigmas distinct; placentation marginal , placenta 1; ovules 1-many per pistil; style short, thick; stigma terminal . Fruits berries , distinct, 1-8(-12) per flower, or coalescent , forming syncarps, 1 per flower. Seeds 1-many per pistil, arillate ; endosperm ruminate , oily.

Genera ca. 128, species ca. 2300 (3 genera, 12 sp: mostly circumtropical .

The family has particular importance in the tropics because of the edible syncarps of some species of Annona ; in the eastern United States the fruit of Asimina triloba (pawpaw) was once much gathered and appreciated. Programs in breeding from selected stock of Asimina have been undertaken (G. A. Zimmerman 1941).

Currently, the Pawpaw Foundation is intensively researching means to develop commercially marketable fruits. Recent studies of the chemical properties of Asimina reveal its pesticidal possibilities, and its potential as an anticancer agent (E. M. Norman, pers. comm. ) The warm-climate genera Cananga, Rollinia, and Artabotrys have been used as ornamentals .[1]

Habitat

Typically found at an altitude of 0 to 1,660 meters (0 to 5,446 feet).[2]

Ecology: This tree grows mainly in lowland and coastal moist forest . It is a pioneer species, comes in after disturbance and disappears as the forest re-establishes. Also occurs in disturbed sub-thicket woodland dominated by Brachystegia spiciformis, Millettia, Elaeodendron sp. , Harrisonia abyssinica, Terminalia sp., Combretum sp., Pteleopsis myrtifolia, Acacia sp., and Adenia rumicifolia. [3].

List of Habitats :

Taxonomy

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Notes

Name Status: Accepted Name .

Last scrutiny: 1998

Similar Species

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Members of the genus Lettowianthus

ZipcodeZoo has pages for 0 species, subspecies, varieties, forms, and cultivars in this genus:

More Info

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Further Reading

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Notes

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Contributors

Data Sources

Accessed through GBIF Data Portal November 25, 2007:

Identifiers

Footnotes

  1. Robert Kral "Annonaceae". in Flora of North America Vol. 3. Oxford University Press. Online at EFloras.org. [back]
  2. Mean = 181.320 meters (594.882 feet), Standard Deviation = 485.000 based on 37 observations. Altitude information for each observation from British Oceanographic Data Centre. [back]
  3. Eastern Arc Mountains & Coastal Forests CEPF Plant Assessment Project Participants 2009. Lettowianthus stellatus. In: IUCN 2011. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2011.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 01 February 2012. [back]
Last Revised: 7/21/2012