Pternandra

Pternandra
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Rosids
Order:	Myrtales
Family:	Melastomataceae
Genus:	Pternandra; Jack
Type species
	Pternandra coerulescens; Jack
Synonyms
	Apteuxis Griff.; Ewyckia Blume; Kibessia DC.; Macroplacis Blume; Rectomitra Blume;

Pternandra is a genus of trees in the Melastomataceae family. There are 17 species in the taxa. It is native to an area from northern Australia through Southeast Asia to Hainan, Zhōngguó/China and India. The botanist William Jack who named the taxa, died at 27 years of age, the year his description was published.

Description edit

The plants of this genus grow as trees or sometimes as shrubs.^[2] The leaves have 3-5 veins and a generally short petiole. The terminal or axillary inflorescences can be umbellate, cymose, paniculate or of almost sessile clusters, the flowers are rarely solitary, and have small, paired connate bracts and bracteoles. Flowers come in groups of 4. Campanulate hypanthium has an outside pattern of plates or setose appendages. Fairly indistinct calyx lobes are either short teeth or not present, but generally persistent in the fruit. Broadly ovate to suborbicular petals can be white, yellow, blue or purple. There are 8 isomorphic stamens. The dolabriform to oblong anthers have lateral slits, with the connective mostly distinctly thickened, not prolonged and have at the most a small and calcarate dorsal appendage with no ventral appendage. Quadrilocular ovary, with glabrous summit and numerous ovules on parietal placentas. Filiform style. Fleshy indehiscent fruit. Numerous small seeds that are cuneate and minutely tuberculate.^[2]

Taxonomy edit

The name derives from the Ancient Greek words pterna (="heel"), and andros (="male"), referring to the anther connective's heel-like thickening.^[2]

The type species of the genus is Pternandra coerulescens.^[3]

The genus was named by the Scots doctor and botanist William Jack (1795-1822) in 1822.^[4] He had obtained an M.A. when 16, was admitted to the Royal College of Surgeons of England when 17. By 23 years of age, he was in Sumatera. He died at then Bencoolen (now Bengkulu, Sumatera, when 27 years of age in 1822, the same year his description of this taxa was published in Malayan Miscellanies (Bencoolen)

Distribution edit

The plants are native to an area from Northern Australia, through Malesia and Southeast Asia to Hainan, Zhōngguó/China and India.^[1] Countries and regions that the taxa grows in are: Australia (Queensland, Northern Territory); Papua Niugini (eastern New Guinea); Indonesia (West Papua, Maluku Islands, Kalimantan, Jawa, Sumatera); Malaysia (Sabah, Sarawak, Peninsular Malaysia); Thailand; Cambodia; Vietnam; Zhōngguó/China (Hainan); Myanmar; India (including Nicobar Islands).

Species edit

As of April 2021, there are 17 accepted species of Pternandra:^[1]

Pternandra angustifolia J.F.Maxwell
Pternandra azurea (DC.) Burkill
Pternandra coerulescens Jack
Pternandra cogniauxii M.P.Nayar
Pternandra coriacea (Cogn.) M.P.Nayar
Pternandra crassicalyx J.F.Maxwell
Pternandra echinata Jack
Pternandra galeata Ridl.
Pternandra gracilis (Cogn.) M.P.Nayar
Pternandra hirtella (Cogn.) M.P.Nayar
Pternandra ledermannii (Mansf.) M.P.Nayar
Pternandra moluccana M.P.Nayar
Pternandra multiflora Cogn.
Pternandra rostrata (Cogn.) M.P.Nayar
Pternandra tesellata (Stapf) M.P.Nayar
Pternandra teysmanniana (Cogn.) M.P.Nayar
Pternandra tuberculata (Korth.) M.P.Nayar

References edit

^ ^a ^b ^c "Pternandra Jack". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 10 April 2021.
^ ^a ^b ^c Whiffin, Trevor (2020). "Pternandra". Flora of Australia. Canberra: Australian Biological Resources Study, Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment. Retrieved 10 April 2021.
^ "Pternandra Jack". Vascular Plants. biodiversity.org.au. Retrieved 10 April 2021.
^ "Pternandra Jack, Malayan Misc. 2(7): 60 (1822)". International Plant Name Index (IPNI). Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 11 April 2021.