Gasteranthus
Encyclopedia
Gasteranthus is a genus
of 35 species of herb
s and soft-stemmed subshrub
s in the flowering plant
family Gesneriaceae
. The species occur in Central America
and South America
, from southernmost Mexico
to Bolivia
. Numerous species are threatened with extinction, mainly due to deforestation
. This is due to two reasons: For one thing, Gasteranthus species are native to countries in which destruction of primary forest runs rampant; also, these plants do not distribute well and therefore endemism is very frequent, for example on isolated mountain ranges.
These plants inhabit tropical forest
and cloud forest
. They grow in humid, shaded locations at altitudes of up to 1,800 m ASL
. The flowers are usually colored in orange hues and often spotted, but background colors also include shades white, yellow and red. They are born in axillary
cymes without bracteoles.
Gasteranthus was previously included in the closely related genus Besleria
. The two genera have been separated on the basis of differences in their stomata (aggregated in Gasteranthus, scattered in Besleria) and fruits (fleshy capsule
in Gasteranthus, berry
in Besleria). Characteristic are the whitish dots on the leaf undersides caused by aggregations of stomata in Gasteranthus.
Two main groups can be distinguished in this genus: one group of species, with white to yellow, bell- or tube-shaped flowers, is probably pollinated mainly by euglossine bees. The other group has bright orange or red hypocyrtoid (inflated corolla tube with very small opening) flowers and are apparently pollinated mainly by hummingbird
s.
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
of 35 species of herb
Herb
Except in botanical usage, an herb is "any plant with leaves, seeds, or flowers used for flavoring, food, medicine, or perfume" or "a part of such a plant as used in cooking"...
s and soft-stemmed subshrub
Subshrub
A subshrub or dwarf shrub is a short woody plant. Prostrate shrub is a similar term.It is distinguished from a shrub by its ground-hugging stems and lower height, with overwintering perennial woody growth typically less than 10–20 cm tall, or by being only weakly woody and/or persisting...
s in the flowering plant
Flowering plant
The flowering plants , also known as Angiospermae or Magnoliophyta, are the most diverse group of land plants. Angiosperms are seed-producing plants like the gymnosperms and can be distinguished from the gymnosperms by a series of synapomorphies...
family Gesneriaceae
Gesneriaceae
Gesneriaceae is a family of flowering plants consisting of ca. 150 genera and ca. 3,200 species in the Old World and New World tropics and subtropics, with a very small number extending to temperate areas. Many species have colorful and showy flowers and are cultivated as ornamental plants.Most...
. The species occur in Central America
Central America
Central America is the central geographic region of the Americas. It is the southernmost, isthmian portion of the North American continent, which connects with South America on the southeast. When considered part of the unified continental model, it is considered a subcontinent...
and South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
, from southernmost Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
to Bolivia
Bolivia
Bolivia officially known as Plurinational State of Bolivia , is a landlocked country in central South America. It is the poorest country in South America...
. Numerous species are threatened with extinction, mainly due to deforestation
Deforestation
Deforestation is the removal of a forest or stand of trees where the land is thereafter converted to a nonforest use. Examples of deforestation include conversion of forestland to farms, ranches, or urban use....
. This is due to two reasons: For one thing, Gasteranthus species are native to countries in which destruction of primary forest runs rampant; also, these plants do not distribute well and therefore endemism is very frequent, for example on isolated mountain ranges.
These plants inhabit tropical forest
Forest
A forest, also referred to as a wood or the woods, is an area with a high density of trees. As with cities, depending where you are in the world, what is considered a forest may vary significantly in size and have various classification according to how and what of the forest is composed...
and cloud forest
Cloud forest
A cloud forest, also called a fog forest, is a generally tropical or subtropical evergreen montane moist forest characterized by a persistent, frequent or seasonal low-level cloud cover, usually at the canopy level. Cloud forests often exhibit an abundance of mosses covering the ground and...
. They grow in humid, shaded locations at altitudes of up to 1,800 m ASL
Above mean sea level
The term above mean sea level refers to the elevation or altitude of any object, relative to the average sea level datum. AMSL is used extensively in radio by engineers to determine the coverage area a station will be able to reach...
. The flowers are usually colored in orange hues and often spotted, but background colors also include shades white, yellow and red. They are born in axillary
Axillary
Axillary means "related to the axilla "."Axillary" may refer to:* Axillary artery* Axillary vein* Axillary nerve* Axillary bud...
cymes without bracteoles.
Gasteranthus was previously included in the closely related genus Besleria
Besleria
Besleria is a genus of ca. 200 species of large herbs and soft-stemmed subshrubs or shrubs in the flowering plant family Gesneriaceae. They occur in Central America, South America, and the West Indies....
. The two genera have been separated on the basis of differences in their stomata (aggregated in Gasteranthus, scattered in Besleria) and fruits (fleshy capsule
Capsule (fruit)
In botany a capsule is a type of simple, dry fruit produced by many species of flowering plants. A capsule is a structure composed of two or more carpels that in most cases is dehiscent, i.e. at maturity, it splits apart to release the seeds within. A few capsules are indehiscent, for example...
in Gasteranthus, berry
Berry
The botanical definition of a berry is a fleshy fruit produced from a single ovary. Grapes are an example. The berry is the most common type of fleshy fruit in which the entire ovary wall ripens into an edible pericarp. They may have one or more carpels with a thin covering and fleshy interiors....
in Besleria). Characteristic are the whitish dots on the leaf undersides caused by aggregations of stomata in Gasteranthus.
Two main groups can be distinguished in this genus: one group of species, with white to yellow, bell- or tube-shaped flowers, is probably pollinated mainly by euglossine bees. The other group has bright orange or red hypocyrtoid (inflated corolla tube with very small opening) flowers and are apparently pollinated mainly by hummingbird
Hummingbird
Hummingbirds are birds that comprise the family Trochilidae. They are among the smallest of birds, most species measuring in the 7.5–13 cm range. Indeed, the smallest extant bird species is a hummingbird, the 5-cm Bee Hummingbird. They can hover in mid-air by rapidly flapping their wings...
s.
Selected species
- Gasteranthus atratusGasteranthus atratusGasteranthus atratus is a species of plant in the Gesneriaceae family. It is endemic to Ecuador. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical moist montanes.-Source:...
- Gasteranthus bilsaensisGasteranthus bilsaensisGasteranthus bilsaensis is a species of plant in the Gesneriaceae family. It is endemic to Ecuador. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical moist montanes.-Source:...
- Gasteranthus carinatusGasteranthus carinatusGasteranthus carinatus is a species of plant in the Gesneriaceae family. It is endemic to Ecuador. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical moist montanes.-Source:...
- Gasteranthus corallinus
- Gasteranthus crispusGasteranthus crispusGasteranthus crispus is a species of plant in the Gesneriaceae family. It is endemic to Ecuador. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical moist montanes.-Source:...
- Gasteranthus extinctusGasteranthus extinctusGasteranthus extinctus is a species of plant in the Gesneriaceae family. It is endemic to Ecuador. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montanes.-Source:* Clark, J.L., Skog, L.E. & Pitman, N. 2004. . Downloaded on 21 August 2007....
- Gasteranthus imbaburensisGasteranthus imbaburensisGasteranthus imbaburensis is a species of plant in the Gesneriaceae family. It is endemic to Ecuador. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montanes.-Source:...
- Gasteranthus lateralisGasteranthus lateralisGasteranthus lateralis is a species of plant in the Gesneriaceae family. It is endemic to Ecuador. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montanes.-Source:* Clark, J.L., Skog, L.E. & Pitman, N. 2004. . Downloaded on 21 August 2007....
- Gasteranthus macrocalyxGasteranthus macrocalyxGasteranthus macrocalyx is a species of plant in the Gesneriaceae family. It is endemic to Ecuador. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montanes.-Source:* Clark, J.L., Skog, L.E. & Pitman, N. 2004. . Downloaded on 21 August 2007....
- Gasteranthus mutabilisGasteranthus mutabilisGasteranthus mutabilis is a species of plant in the Gesneriaceae family. It is endemic to Ecuador. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montanes.-Source:* Clark, J.L., Skog, L.E. & Pitman, N. 2004. . Downloaded on 21 August 2007....
- Gasteranthus orientandinusGasteranthus orientandinusGasteranthus orientandinus is a species of plant in the Gesneriaceae family. It is endemic to Ecuador. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montanes.-Source:...
- Gasteranthus otongensisGasteranthus otongensisGasteranthus otongensis is a species of plant in the Gesneriaceae family. It is endemic to Ecuador. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montanes.-References:...
- Gasteranthus perennisGasteranthus perennisGasteranthus perennis is a species of plant in the Gesneriaceae family. It is endemic to Ecuador. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montanes.-References:...
- Gasteranthus tenellusGasteranthus tenellusGasteranthus tenellus is a species of plant in the Gesneriaceae family. It is endemic to Ecuador. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical moist montanes.-Source:...
- Gasteranthus ternatusGasteranthus ternatusGasteranthus ternatus is a species of plant in the Gesneriaceae family. It is endemic to Ecuador. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montanes.-Source:* Clark, J.L., Skog, L.E. & Pitman, N. 2004. . Downloaded on 21 August 2007....
- Gasteranthus timidusGasteranthus timidusGasteranthus timidus is a species of plant in the Gesneriaceae family. It is endemic to Ecuador. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests.-Source:...
- Gasteranthus trifoliatusGasteranthus trifoliatusGasteranthus trifoliatus is a species of plant in the Gesneriaceae family. It is endemic to Ecuador. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montanes.-Source:* Clark, J.L., Skog, L.E. & Pitman, N. 2004. . Downloaded on 21 August 2007....
- Gasteranthus wendlandianus