Lobeliaceae
Encyclopedia
Lobelioideae is a subfamily
of the plant family Campanulaceae
. It contains 32 genera, totalling about 1200 species. Some of the larger genera are Lobelia
, Siphocampylus
, Centropogon
, Burmeistera
and Cyanea
.
They are perennials
, sometimes annuals
, ranging in form from herbs
to small tree
s. Most species are tropical in distribution, but in total this subfamily occurs almost worldwide, being absent only from Arctic regions, central Asia
and the Near East
.
This subfamily was formerly given family rank as Lobeliaceae, under a somewhat different circumscription.
The leaves
are simple and alternate. The plants have milky sap. The flower
s are asymmetrical with five lobes and stamen
s. The corolla tube opens along the upper side with two lobes above and three below, and the stamens join together in the tube.
Family (biology)
In biological classification, family is* a taxonomic rank. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, genus, and species, with family fitting between order and genus. As for the other well-known ranks, there is the option of an immediately lower rank, indicated by the...
of the plant family Campanulaceae
Campanulaceae
The family Campanulaceae , of the order Asterales, contains about 2000 species in 70 genera of herbaceous plants, shrubs, and rarely small trees, often with milky non-toxic sap...
. It contains 32 genera, totalling about 1200 species. Some of the larger genera are Lobelia
Lobelia
Lobelia is a genus of flowering plant comprising 360–400 species, with a subcosmopolitan distribution primarily in tropical to warm temperate regions of the world, a few species extending into cooler temperate regions...
, Siphocampylus
Siphocampylus
Siphocampylus is a genus of plant in family Campanulaceae. It contains the following species :* Siphocampylus affinis, McVaugh* Siphocampylus asplundii, Jeppesen* Siphocampylus ecuadoriensis, E.Wimm....
, Centropogon
Centropogon
Centropogon is a plant genus in the family Campanulaceae. In systems where the Lobeliaceae are recognized as distinct, Centropogon is placed there....
, Burmeistera
Burmeistera
Burmeistera is a plant genus in the family Campanulaceae.-Selected species:* Burmeistera anderssonii* Burmeistera asplundii* Burmeistera brachyandra* Burmeistera crispiloba* Burmeistera cuyujensis* Burmeistera cyclostigma...
and Cyanea
Cyanea (plant)
Cyanea is a genus of lobelioid plants endemic to Hawaii. It contains more than 50 species, ranging in size from shrubs like C. eleeleensis to tall palm-like trees over 10 meters tall such as C. leptostegia...
.
They are perennials
Perennial plant
A perennial plant or simply perennial is a plant that lives for more than two years. The term is often used to differentiate a plant from shorter lived annuals and biennials. The term is sometimes misused by commercial gardeners or horticulturalists to describe only herbaceous perennials...
, sometimes annuals
Annual plant
An annual plant is a plant that usually germinates, flowers, and dies in a year or season. True annuals will only live longer than a year if they are prevented from setting seed...
, ranging in form from herbs
Herbaceous plant
A herbaceous plant is a plant that has leaves and stems that die down at the end of the growing season to the soil level. They have no persistent woody stem above ground...
to small tree
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. Most species are tropical in distribution, but in total this subfamily occurs almost worldwide, being absent only from Arctic regions, central Asia
Central Asia
Central Asia is a core region of the Asian continent from the Caspian Sea in the west, China in the east, Afghanistan in the south, and Russia in the north...
and the Near East
Near East
The Near East is a geographical term that covers different countries for geographers, archeologists, and historians, on the one hand, and for political scientists, economists, and journalists, on the other...
.
This subfamily was formerly given family rank as Lobeliaceae, under a somewhat different circumscription.
The leaves
Leaf
A leaf is an organ of a vascular plant, as defined in botanical terms, and in particular in plant morphology. Foliage is a mass noun that refers to leaves as a feature of plants....
are simple and alternate. The plants have milky sap. The flower
Flower
A flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants . The biological function of a flower is to effect reproduction, usually by providing a mechanism for the union of sperm with eggs...
s are asymmetrical with five lobes and stamen
Stamen
The stamen is the pollen producing reproductive organ of a flower...
s. The corolla tube opens along the upper side with two lobes above and three below, and the stamens join together in the tube.
Genera
|
Downingia Downingia is a genus of 13 annual plants native to western North America and Chile. Commonly known as "calicoflowers", they are notable for forming mass displays of small but colorful blooms around vernal pools... Torr. Hippobroma Hippobroma is a genus of flowering plants within the family Campanulaceae.Species include:* Hippobroma longiflora-External links and references:*... G.Don |
Isotoma Isotoma is a genus of annual and perennial herbs within the family Campanulaceae.The species, which are native to Australia, New Zealand, the West Indies and the Society Islands include:* Isotoma anethifolia Summerh.... (R.Br.) Lindl. Lobelia Lobelia is a genus of flowering plant comprising 360–400 species, with a subcosmopolitan distribution primarily in tropical to warm temperate regions of the world, a few species extending into cooler temperate regions... L. Lysipomia Lysipomia is a genus of plant in family Campanulaceae. It contains the following species :* Lysipomia acaulis, Kunth* Lysipomia aretioides, Kunth* Lysipomia bilineata, McVaugh... Kunth Porterella Porterella is a monotypic genus of flowering plants in the bellflower family containing the single species Porterella carnosula, which is known by the common name fleshy porterella, or simply porterella... Torr. |
Pratia Pratia is a genus of flowering plants in the family Campanulaceae, native to Asia, Australia and New Zealand.Species include:*Pratia angulata Hook... Gaudich. Siphocampylus Siphocampylus is a genus of plant in family Campanulaceae. It contains the following species :* Siphocampylus affinis, McVaugh* Siphocampylus asplundii, Jeppesen* Siphocampylus ecuadoriensis, E.Wimm.... Pohl Solenopsis Solenopsis is a scientific name for two genera:* Solenopsis , a genus of ants* Solenopsis , a genus of flowering plants in the family Campanulaceae, commonly treated as a synonym of Laurentia, or Isotoma... C.Presl Trimeris Trimeris is a genus of the plant family Campanulaceae endemic to the island of St Helena in the South Atlantic Ocean.SpeciesThere is a single species*Trimeris scaevolifolia Mabb. - St Helena lobelia, milkwood-External links :*... C.Presl |