Leea (Tagalog: Talyantan) is a genus of plants in the family Vitaceae, subfamily Leeoideae, that are native to parts of central Africa, tropical Asia, Australia and Melanesia.[1] It was previously placed in its own family, Leeaceae, based on morphological differences between it and other Vitaceae genera. These differences include ovule number per locule (two in Vitaceae and one in Leeaceae), carpel number (two in Vitaceae and three in Leeaceae), and the absence or presence of a staminoidal tube (present in Leeaceae) and floral disc (present in Vitaceae). Pollen structure has also been examined for taxonomic demarcation, though studies[which?] have concluded that the pollen of Leeaceae and Vitaceae suggests the families should remain separate while other studies[which?] conclude that Leea should be included in Vitaceae.[2]

Leea
L. sambucina Blanco, now known
as L. rubra Blume
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Vitales
Family: Vitaceae
Subfamily: Leeoideae
Burmeist.
Genus: Leea
D.Royen[1]
Species

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The genus was named by Linnaeus after James Lee, the Scottish nurseryman based in Hammersmith, London who introduced many new plant discoveries to England at the end of the 18th century.[3]

Ecology

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Leea flowers are visited by a variety of potential insect pollinators, including flies, wasps, bees, butterflies, and beetles. Some species may have evolved synchronized dichogamy as a mechanism to prevent self pollination.[4]

Species

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Plants of the World Online accepts the following 45 species in this genus as of 12 July 2023.[1]

References

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  1. ^ a b c "Leea D.Royen". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 13 July 2023.
  2. ^ Gerrath, Jean M.; Lacroix, Christian R.; Posluszny, Usher (1990). "The Developmental Morphology of Leea guineensis. II. Floral Development". Botanical Gazette. 151 (2): 210. doi:10.1086/337820. JSTOR 2995458. S2CID 84559410.
  3. ^ Sue Shephard (2003). Seeds of Fortune - A Gardening Dynasty. Bloomsbury. p. 11. ISBN 0-7475-6066-8.
  4. ^ Molina, Jeanmaire (2009). "Floral biology of Philippine morphospecies of the grape relative Leea (Leeaceae)". Plant Species Biology. 24 (1): 53–60. doi:10.1111/j.1442-1984.2009.00238.x. Retrieved 13 July 2023.
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