Nothaphoebe
Encyclopedia
Nothaphoebe is a genus of plant
in family Lauraceae
with about 40 species in East asia, south east Asia, and North America.
and wet lands. They have leaves alternate, simple, petiolate, glabrous, penninerved. Stipules absent. Flowers, small, yellow, yellow-green, yellow-red, placed in small umbells in cymose panicles axillary or terminal, branched, pedunculate. The flowers bisexual, pedicellate; bracteoles minute. Perianth tube short; perianth lobes 6, unequal, outer 3 much smaller. 9 fertile stamens; filaments villous, those of 3rd whorl each with 2 shortly stalked orbicular-reniform or broadly reniform glands, others glandless; anthers 4-celled, cells of 1st and 2nd whorls all introrse but those of 3rd whorl extrorse or lateral-extrorse. 3 staminodes, of innermost whorl, triangular-cordate, shortly stalked. Ovary ovoid; style slender; stigma capitate. The fruit is a green drupe, a berry ellipsoid or globose.
In undisturbed mixed dipterocarp and swamp forests up to 1700 m altitude. Both common on alluvial sites and along rivers as well as on hillsides and ridges. On clay to sandy soils. In secondary forests usually present as a pre-disturbance remnant tree.
The ecological requirements of the genus are those of the laurel forest
and like most of their counterparts laurifolia in the world, they are vigorous species with a great ability to populate the habitat that is conducive. The natural habitat is rainforest which is cloud-covered for much of the year. The species is found in forests that face threats of destruction by human deforestation
.
Because of the special lack of worldwide knowledge about the family lauraceae
in general, very little is known about their diversity. The knowledge of this family on a national level is that to be expected in countries with limited economic means, i.e. the vast majority of species is indeterminate or at least poorly determined. On the other hand, a high percentage of recently described new species come from collections made in these countries. Therefore an increase in the study of the family on national level is of utmost importance for the progress of the systematics
of the family in general. Recent monographs of the small and medium genera of lauraceae with up to 100 species per genus have produced a high increase in the number of known species. This high increase is expected for other genera as well, particularly for those with more than 150 species recorded, bringing an expected considerable increase in the total number of species of the family.
A related vegetal community evolved millions of years ago on the supercontinent of Gondwana
, and species of this community are now found on several separate areas of the Southern Hemisphere
, including South America
, Africa
, New Zealand
, Australia
and New Caledonia
.
Plant
Plants are living organisms belonging to the kingdom Plantae. Precise definitions of the kingdom vary, but as the term is used here, plants include familiar organisms such as trees, flowers, herbs, bushes, grasses, vines, ferns, mosses, and green algae. The group is also called green plants or...
in family Lauraceae
Lauraceae
The Lauraceae or Laurel family comprises a group of flowering plants included in the order Laurales. The family contains about 55 genera and over 3500, perhaps as many as 4000, species world-wide, mostly from warm or tropical regions, especially Southeast Asia and South America...
with about 40 species in East asia, south east Asia, and North America.
Overview
Distribution from China to peninsula Malaysia, Sumatra, Java, Lesser Sunda Islands, Borneo, Philippines. In North America from Texas to south with more species mostly in Central America. The wood is used for house building.Characteristics
Evergreen lauroide hermaphrodite shrubs or trees in tropical and subtropical rainforest, Cloud forestCloud 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...
and wet lands. They have leaves alternate, simple, petiolate, glabrous, penninerved. Stipules absent. Flowers, small, yellow, yellow-green, yellow-red, placed in small umbells in cymose panicles axillary or terminal, branched, pedunculate. The flowers bisexual, pedicellate; bracteoles minute. Perianth tube short; perianth lobes 6, unequal, outer 3 much smaller. 9 fertile stamens; filaments villous, those of 3rd whorl each with 2 shortly stalked orbicular-reniform or broadly reniform glands, others glandless; anthers 4-celled, cells of 1st and 2nd whorls all introrse but those of 3rd whorl extrorse or lateral-extrorse. 3 staminodes, of innermost whorl, triangular-cordate, shortly stalked. Ovary ovoid; style slender; stigma capitate. The fruit is a green drupe, a berry ellipsoid or globose.
Ecology
From shrubs to upper canopy trees up to 47 m tall and 80 cm dbh.In undisturbed mixed dipterocarp and swamp forests up to 1700 m altitude. Both common on alluvial sites and along rivers as well as on hillsides and ridges. On clay to sandy soils. In secondary forests usually present as a pre-disturbance remnant tree.
The ecological requirements of the genus are those of the laurel forest
Laurel forest
Laurel forest is a subtropical or mild temperate forest, found in areas with high humidity and relatively stable and mild temperatures. They are characterized by tree species with evergreen, glossy, enlongated leaves, known as laurophyll or lauroide...
and like most of their counterparts laurifolia in the world, they are vigorous species with a great ability to populate the habitat that is conducive. The natural habitat is rainforest which is cloud-covered for much of the year. The species is found in forests that face threats of destruction by human 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....
.
Because of the special lack of worldwide knowledge about the family lauraceae
Lauraceae
The Lauraceae or Laurel family comprises a group of flowering plants included in the order Laurales. The family contains about 55 genera and over 3500, perhaps as many as 4000, species world-wide, mostly from warm or tropical regions, especially Southeast Asia and South America...
in general, very little is known about their diversity. The knowledge of this family on a national level is that to be expected in countries with limited economic means, i.e. the vast majority of species is indeterminate or at least poorly determined. On the other hand, a high percentage of recently described new species come from collections made in these countries. Therefore an increase in the study of the family on national level is of utmost importance for the progress of the systematics
Taxonomy
Taxonomy is the science of identifying and naming species, and arranging them into a classification. The field of taxonomy, sometimes referred to as "biological taxonomy", revolves around the description and use of taxonomic units, known as taxa...
of the family in general. Recent monographs of the small and medium genera of lauraceae with up to 100 species per genus have produced a high increase in the number of known species. This high increase is expected for other genera as well, particularly for those with more than 150 species recorded, bringing an expected considerable increase in the total number of species of the family.
A related vegetal community evolved millions of years ago on the supercontinent of Gondwana
Gondwana
In paleogeography, Gondwana , originally Gondwanaland, was the southernmost of two supercontinents that later became parts of the Pangaea supercontinent. It existed from approximately 510 to 180 million years ago . Gondwana is believed to have sutured between ca. 570 and 510 Mya,...
, and species of this community are now found on several separate areas of the Southern Hemisphere
Southern Hemisphere
The Southern Hemisphere is the part of Earth that lies south of the equator. The word hemisphere literally means 'half ball' or "half sphere"...
, including 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...
, Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and New Caledonia
New Caledonia
New Caledonia is a special collectivity of France located in the southwest Pacific Ocean, east of Australia and about from Metropolitan France. The archipelago, part of the Melanesia subregion, includes the main island of Grande Terre, the Loyalty Islands, the Belep archipelago, the Isle of...
.
Species selected
It contains the following species, but this list is incomplete:- Nothaphoebe annamensis H.Liu
- Nothaphoebe archboldiana C.K.Allen
- Nothaphoebe baviensis LecomteLecomteLecomte was an Olympic archer who represented France in the 1900 Summer Olympics. He took part in the Au Cordon Doré at 50 metres competition taking eighth place with a score of 25 points, six points behind the leader, Henri Hérouin.-See also:...
- Nothaphoebe boninensis (Koidz.) Koidz. ex Kamik.
- Nothaphoebe canescens BlumeBlumeBlume may refer to:* Blume , an Italian synthpop band* Blume Bl.502, a family of four-seat light aircraft designed in West Germany by Dr Walter Blume in the late 1950s* Blume High School, a historic building in downtown Wapakoneta, Ohio, United States...
- Nothaphoebe cavalieri
- Nothaphoebe condensaNothaphoebe condensaNothaphoebe condensa is a species of plant in the Lauraceae family. It is endemic to Malaysia.-Source:* Kochummen, K.M. 1998. . Downloaded on 22 August 2007....
, Ridley - Nothaphoebe javanicaNothaphoebe javanicaNothaphoebe javanica is a species of plant in the Lauraceae family. It is endemic to Indonesia. It is threatened by habitat loss.-Source:* World Conservation Monitoring Centre 1998. . Downloaded on 22 August 2007....
, - Nothaphoebe kingianaNothaphoebe kingianaNothaphoebe kingiana is a species of plant in the Lauraceae family. It is endemic to Malaysia.-References:* Kochummen, K.M. 1998. . Downloaded on 22 August 2007....
, GambleJames Sykes GambleJames Sykes Gamble FRS was an English botanist who specialized in the flora of the Indian sub-continent.He was born in London, the son of Harpur Gamble, M.D... - Nothaphoebe pahangensisNothaphoebe pahangensisNothaphoebe pahangensis is a species of plant in the Lauraceae family. It is endemic to Malaysia.-Source:* Kochummen, K.M. 1998. . Downloaded on 22 August 2007....
, Kosterm.André Joseph Guillaume Henri KostermansDr. André Joseph Guillaume Henri 'Doc' Kostermans was a botanist. He was born in Purworejo, Java, Dutch East Indies, and educated at Utrecht University, taking his doctoral degree in 1936 with a paper on Surinamese Lauraceae.He spent most of his professional life studying the plants of...