Flabellaria is a genus in the Malpighiaceae, a family of about 75 genera of flowering plants in the order Malpighiales. Flabellaria includes one variable species, Flabellaria paniculata.

Flabellaria
Temporal range: Cretaceous - Oligocene
Fossil of Flabellaria mediterranea on display at the Museo Civico di Storia Naturale di Genova
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Malpighiales
Family: Malpighiaceae
Genus: Flabellaria
Cav.
Species:
F. paniculata
Binomial name
Flabellaria paniculata

Etymology

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The genus name Flabellaria comes from the Latin word flabellum meaning small fan, referring to the shape of the samara.[1]

Synonyms

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Fossil record

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This genus is known in the fossil record from the Cretaceous to the Eocene (age range: from 70.6 to 33.9 million years ago.).[2]

Description

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Flabellaria paniculata, the only living species in this genus, can reach a length of 3–15 metres (9.8–49.2 ft). These plants are woody vine, with paniculate, lateral and terminal inflorescences up to 20 cm. long. Flowers are radially symmetrical, about 1 centimeter in diameter, with white and spatulate petals.[3] [4]

Distribution and habitat

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Flabellaria paniculata is widely distributed in equatorial Africa in thickets, woodlands, and forests, especially along rivers, at an altitude of 1,150–1,650 metres (3,770–5,410 ft).[1][5][6]

Bibliography

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  • Abo, K.A., Olugbuyiro, J.A.O. (2004) Phytochemical and antibacterial studies of extracts of Flabellaria paniculata. African Journal of Biomedical Research 7(1):35-36.
  • Abo, K.A., Olugbuyiro, J.A.O., Famakinde, S.A. (2004) Anti-infective and wound healing properties of Flabellaria paniculata 1. African journal of Biomedical Research 7 (2): 85–87.
  • Olugbuyiro, J.A.O., Abo, K.A., Leigh, O.O. (2010) Wound healing effect Of Flabellaria paniculata leaf extracts Journal of Ethnopharmacology 127: 786–788.
  • ORSTOM 1988. List Vasc. Pl. Gabon

References

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  1. ^ a b c Tropicos
  2. ^ "Fossilworks". Archived from the original on 2022-03-25. Retrieved 2021-12-17.
  3. ^ Herbarium Malpighiaceae - description, taxonomy, phylogeny, and nomenclature
  4. ^ Global Plants
  5. ^ The Plant List
  6. ^ African Plants Database