Apios is a genus of flowering plants in the family Fabaceae. It belongs to the subfamily Faboideae. It contains seven species of perennial climbing herbs or scandent shrubs. Several members of this genus are known to have edible, tuberous roots.[2]

Apios
Apios americana
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Fabales
Family: Fabaceae
Subfamily: Faboideae
Tribe: Phaseoleae
Genus: Apios
Fabr. (1759), nom. cons.
Species[1]
Synonyms[1]
  • Bradlea Adans. (1763), nom. superfl.
  • Cyrtotropis Wall. (1830)
  • Gonancylis Raf. (1824), nom. nud.
  • Sinolegumenea Y.K.Yang, L.H.Liu & J.K.Wu (2004)

Apios species are native to eastern North America, from eastern Canada through the eastern and Central United States, and to eastern and southeastern Asia, from the Himalayas through Indochina, China, Korea, and Japan, from approximately 50° to 20° north latitude.[1][2]

The name "Apios" comes from the Greek word for "pear" and may refer the pear shape of some tubers.[2]

Species edit

Seven species are accepted:[1]

References edit

  1. ^ a b c d Apios Fabr. Plants of the World Online. Retrieved 11 August 2023.
  2. ^ a b c Seabrook, Janet E.A. (1973). A Biosystematic Study of the Genus Apios Fabricius (Leguminosae) with Special Reference to Apios americana Medikus (M.Sc. thesis). University of New Brunswick, Fredericton, NB.
  •   Data related to Apios at Wikispecies
  •   Media related to Apios at Wikimedia Commons