Pachira
Encyclopedia
Pachira is a genus of tropical tree
s distributed in Central and South America, Africa and India. They are classified in the subfamily Bombacoideae
of the family Malvaceae
. Previously the genus was assigned to Bombacaceae
.
Prior to that the genus was found in the (now obsolete) Sterculiaceae
.
Some 77 species have been identified.
They form small or large trees with digitate
leaves, and the fruit an oval woody one-celled capsule opening by a number of divisions and containing many seeds.
in 1775, Carl Linnaeus the Younger unaware of this separately is said to have called the genus Carolinea after Princess (or Marchioness) "Sophia Caroline of Baden" in 1782.
The principle of precedence gives the authority to Pachira.
The Margrave of Baden, Karl Wilhelm (1709 – 1738) founded the Karlsruhe Palace
(Karlsruher Schloß) in 1715. He had a considerable interest in Botany, particularly the exotic, and had large numbers of trees imported for the Palace Gardens (Schloßgarten). He was succeeded by his Grandson, Karl Friedrich (1738 - 1811) who married Princess Karoline Luise von Hessen-Darmstadt (1723 - 1783) in 1751. Karoline Luise was a noted botanist. She corresponded with Carl von Linné (Linnaeus), cultivated numerous plants in the palace gardens, had engravings of them made for a book and had them all classified according to Linnaeus' system. Linnaeus' son, Carl Linnaeus the younger, recognised her contributions by naming one of the trees, Pachira aquatica (German: Glückskastanie) Carolinea princeps after her.
Tree
A tree is a perennial woody plant. It is most often defined as a woody plant that has many secondary branches supported clear of the ground on a single main stem or trunk with clear apical dominance. A minimum height specification at maturity is cited by some authors, varying from 3 m to...
s distributed in Central and South America, Africa and India. They are classified in the subfamily Bombacoideae
Bombacoideae
Bombacoideae is a subfamily of the mallow family, Malvaceae. It contains herbaceous and woody plants. Their leaves are alternate, commonly palmately lobed, with small and caducous stipules. Flowers are hermaphroditic and actinomorphic; the calyx has 5 sepals united at the base, accompanied...
of the family Malvaceae
Malvaceae
Malvaceae, or the mallow family, is a family of flowering plants containing over 200 genera with close to 2,300 species. Judd & al. Well known members of this family include okra, jute and cacao...
. Previously the genus was assigned to Bombacaceae
Bombacaceae
Bombacaceae is a family of flowering plants or Angiospermae included within Malvales order. As is true for any botanical name, circumscription and status of the taxon has varied with taxonomic point of view...
.
Prior to that the genus was found in the (now obsolete) Sterculiaceae
Sterculiaceae
Sterculiaceae is a botanical name for a group of flowering plants at the rank of family, which is now considered obsolete. As is true for any botanical name, the circumscription, status and placement of the taxon has varied with taxonomic point of view...
.
Some 77 species have been identified.
They form small or large trees with digitate
Leaf shape
In botany, leaf shape is characterised with the following terms :* Acicular : Slender and pointed, needle-like* Acuminate : Tapering to a long point...
leaves, and the fruit an oval woody one-celled capsule opening by a number of divisions and containing many seeds.
History
Although first named Pachira by Jean Baptiste AubletJean Baptiste Christophore Fusée Aublet
Jean Baptiste Christophore Fusée Aublet was a French pharmacist, botanist and explorer.Born in Salon-de-Provence, he joined the French East India Company and in 1752 was sent to Mauritius to establish a pharmacy and a botanical garden. He worked there for nine years...
in 1775, Carl Linnaeus the Younger unaware of this separately is said to have called the genus Carolinea after Princess (or Marchioness) "Sophia Caroline of Baden" in 1782.
The principle of precedence gives the authority to Pachira.
The Margrave of Baden, Karl Wilhelm (1709 – 1738) founded the Karlsruhe Palace
Karlsruhe Palace
Karlsruhe Palace was erected in 1715 by Margrave Charles III William of Baden-Durlach, after a dispute with the citizens of his previous capital, Durlach...
(Karlsruher Schloß) in 1715. He had a considerable interest in Botany, particularly the exotic, and had large numbers of trees imported for the Palace Gardens (Schloßgarten). He was succeeded by his Grandson, Karl Friedrich (1738 - 1811) who married Princess Karoline Luise von Hessen-Darmstadt (1723 - 1783) in 1751. Karoline Luise was a noted botanist. She corresponded with Carl von Linné (Linnaeus), cultivated numerous plants in the palace gardens, had engravings of them made for a book and had them all classified according to Linnaeus' system. Linnaeus' son, Carl Linnaeus the younger, recognised her contributions by naming one of the trees, Pachira aquatica (German: Glückskastanie) Carolinea princeps after her.
Species list
Includes:- Pachira aquaticaPachira aquaticaPachira aquatica is a tropical wetland tree of the genus Pachira, native to Central and South America where it grows in swamps. It is known by the common names Malabar chestnut, Guiana chestnut, provision tree, saba nut, Monguba , Pumpo and is commercially sold under the name money tree and money...
Aubl. (syn. P. macrocarpa) - Pachira cyathophora Casar.
- Pachira emarginata A. Rich.
- Pachira glabra Pasq.
- Pachira insignis (Sw.) Savigny
- Pachira quinata (Jacq.) W. S. Alverson
Further reading
- New Species and Combinations of Catostemma and Pachira (Bombacaceae) from the Venezuelan Guayana. William S. Alverson. Novon Vol. 4, No. 1 (Spring, 1994), pp. 3-8
- http://books.google.ca/books?id=4MpAAAAAcAAJ&pg=PA510#v=onepage&q&f=falseDon G. A general system of gardening and botany: containing a complete enumeration and description of all plants hitherto known with their generic and specific characters, places of growth, time of flowering, mode of culture and their uses in medicine and domestic economy : preceded by introductions to the linnaean and natural systems and a glossary of the terms used ; founded upon Miller's Gardener's dictionary and arranged according to the natural system ; in four volumes. London 1831. Carolinea I: 510]