Microloma
Encyclopedia
Microloma R. Br. in Mem. Werner. Soc.1: 53
, (1809), is a genus
of some ten or twenty known species of herbaceous perennial
, dicotyledon
ous plant
s . Microloma species were originally described as members of the genus Ceropegia
, in the family
Asclepiadaceae, but Brown
separated them and created the new genus, still in the family Asclepiadaceae. More recently the Asclepiadaceae have been re-classified as the subfamily
Asclepiadoideae of the dogbane family Apocynaceae
.
Common names of Microloma species are various and regional; Manning mentions "wax creeper" and "melktou" (literally "milk-string", a curious name because the plants do not in general produce latex). Other names include "wax twiner" and "bokhorinkies" (literally "little goat- or antelope-horns, a reference to the shape of the fruit). Marloth said: "The Dutch name is, as the flower produces so much nectar that in the morning one may shake out a drop of it from each flower." "Suikerkannetje" means little "sugar-can". Marloth adds:"In spite of this proffered feast, visitors are rare and one must have much patience if one wants to know who the visitors are that respond to the invitation — they are small moths and tiny butterflies like the Lycaena or still smaller kinds." More recent work however has shown that such insects are incidental visitors; the main pollinators are sunbirds; they the pollinia
stick to their tongues in a striking example of specialised mutualism.
Microlomas are perennials. Some are climbers and some are shrublets; Microloma massonii (now = Microloma armatum) is so densely branched, with the branches so spiny at their tips, that the colloquial name is "ystervarkbossie", meaning "porcupine bush". Unlike many of the Asclepiadoideae Microlomas have clear sap. Their leaves are opposite
, usually sessile
and simple
. The inflorescence
s are umbel
-like cymes
, borne outside the axils. The flowers usually are red or reddish, sometimes yellow, orange or pink. There are five sepal
s, with the corolla
usually longer than the calyx
. The five petals are usually glossily waxy, consistently with some of the common names. The corolla tube is usually pentagonal and urn-shaped
or oblong, with tufts of downward-pointing hairs low down in the tube opposite the lobes. The petals are arranged spirally and practically close the tube. The stamens arise from the base of the corolla. The anther
s generally are sagittate
at their bases, and bear pollinia
.
Most species grow a fascicle of fleshy roots around the base of the stem and thus may shed shoots and leaves in dry seasons or when fires pass over. An infusion of the fleshy root fascicle of Microloma saggittatum has been used in traditional medicine for relief of griping pains in the abdomen. The infusion is red in colour. If water is unavailable the patient may chew a piece of the root instead.
Robert Brown (botanist)
Robert Brown was a Scottish botanist and palaeobotanist who made important contributions to botany largely through his pioneering use of the microscope...
, (1809), is a genus
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
of some ten or twenty known species of herbaceous perennial
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...
, dicotyledon
Dicotyledon
The dicotyledons, also known as dicots, are a group of flowering plants whose seed typically has two embryonic leaves or cotyledons. There are around 199,350 species within this group...
ous plant
Plant
Plants are living organisms belonging to the kingdom Plantae. Precise definitions of the kingdom vary, but as the term is used here, plants include familiar organisms such as trees, flowers, herbs, bushes, grasses, vines, ferns, mosses, and green algae. The group is also called green plants or...
s . Microloma species were originally described as members of the genus Ceropegia
Ceropegia
Ceropegia is a genus of plants within the family Apocynaceae. It was named by Carl Linnaeus, who first described this genus in volume 1 of his Species plantarum, which appeared in 1753. Linnaeus thought that the flowers looked like a fountain of wax. From this the scientific name was derived:...
, in the family
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...
Asclepiadaceae, but Brown
Robert Brown (botanist)
Robert Brown was a Scottish botanist and palaeobotanist who made important contributions to botany largely through his pioneering use of the microscope...
separated them and created the new genus, still in the family Asclepiadaceae. More recently the Asclepiadaceae have been re-classified as the subfamily
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...
Asclepiadoideae of the dogbane family Apocynaceae
Apocynaceae
The Apocynaceae or dogbane family is a family of flowering plants that includes trees, shrubs, herbs, and lianas.Many species are tall trees found in tropical rainforests, and most are from the tropics and subtropics, but some grow in tropical dry, xeric environments. There are also perennial herbs...
.
Common names of Microloma species are various and regional; Manning mentions "wax creeper" and "melktou" (literally "milk-string", a curious name because the plants do not in general produce latex). Other names include "wax twiner" and "bokhorinkies" (literally "little goat- or antelope-horns, a reference to the shape of the fruit). Marloth said: "The Dutch name is, as the flower produces so much nectar that in the morning one may shake out a drop of it from each flower." "Suikerkannetje" means little "sugar-can". Marloth adds:"In spite of this proffered feast, visitors are rare and one must have much patience if one wants to know who the visitors are that respond to the invitation — they are small moths and tiny butterflies like the Lycaena or still smaller kinds." More recent work however has shown that such insects are incidental visitors; the main pollinators are sunbirds; they the pollinia
Pollinium
Pollinium, or plural pollinia, is a coherent mass of pollen grains in a plant.They are the product of only one anther, but are transferred, during pollination, as a single unit. This is regularly seen in plants such as orchids and many species of milkweeds .Most orchids have waxy pollinia...
stick to their tongues in a striking example of specialised mutualism.
Microlomas are perennials. Some are climbers and some are shrublets; Microloma massonii (now = Microloma armatum) is so densely branched, with the branches so spiny at their tips, that the colloquial name is "ystervarkbossie", meaning "porcupine bush". Unlike many of the Asclepiadoideae Microlomas have clear sap. Their leaves are opposite
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....
, usually sessile
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....
and simple
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....
. The inflorescence
Inflorescence
An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches. Strictly, it is the part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are formed and which is accordingly modified...
s are umbel
Inflorescence
An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches. Strictly, it is the part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are formed and which is accordingly modified...
-like cymes
Inflorescence
An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches. Strictly, it is the part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are formed and which is accordingly modified...
, borne outside the axils. The flowers usually are red or reddish, sometimes yellow, orange or pink. There are five sepal
Sepal
A sepal is a part of the flower of angiosperms . Collectively the sepals form the calyx, which is the outermost whorl of parts that form a flower. Usually green, sepals have the typical function of protecting the petals when the flower is in bud...
s, with the corolla
Petal
Petals are modified leaves that surround the reproductive parts of flowers. They often are brightly colored or unusually shaped to attract pollinators. Together, all of the petals of a flower are called a corolla. Petals are usually accompanied by another set of special leaves called sepals lying...
usually longer than the calyx
Sepal
A sepal is a part of the flower of angiosperms . Collectively the sepals form the calyx, which is the outermost whorl of parts that form a flower. Usually green, sepals have the typical function of protecting the petals when the flower is in bud...
. The five petals are usually glossily waxy, consistently with some of the common names. The corolla tube is usually pentagonal and urn-shaped
Urceolate
Urceolate literally means "shaped like an urn or pitcher", with a swollen middle and narrowing top. It is often used in botany to describe a feature of plant morphology. Examples of urceolate plant structures are the pitchers of many species of the pitcher plant genera Sarracenia and Nepenthes....
or oblong, with tufts of downward-pointing hairs low down in the tube opposite the lobes. The petals are arranged spirally and practically close the tube. The stamens arise from the base of the corolla. The anther
Stamen
The stamen is the pollen producing reproductive organ of a flower...
s generally are sagittate
Leaf shape
In botany, leaf shape is characterised with the following terms :* Acicular : Slender and pointed, needle-like* Acuminate : Tapering to a long point...
at their bases, and bear pollinia
Pollinium
Pollinium, or plural pollinia, is a coherent mass of pollen grains in a plant.They are the product of only one anther, but are transferred, during pollination, as a single unit. This is regularly seen in plants such as orchids and many species of milkweeds .Most orchids have waxy pollinia...
.
Most species grow a fascicle of fleshy roots around the base of the stem and thus may shed shoots and leaves in dry seasons or when fires pass over. An infusion of the fleshy root fascicle of Microloma saggittatum has been used in traditional medicine for relief of griping pains in the abdomen. The infusion is red in colour. If water is unavailable the patient may chew a piece of the root instead.
Species
Genus: Microloma R. Br.- Microloma armatum (Thunb.) Schltr.
- Microloma burchellii N.E. Br.
- Microloma calycinum E. Mey.
- Microloma campanulatum Wanntorp
- Microloma dregei (E. Mey.) Wanntorp
- Microloma gibbosum N.E. Br.
- Microloma glabratum E. Mey.
- Microloma hereroense Wanntorp
- Microloma hystricoides Wanntorp
- Microloma incanum Decne.
- Microloma lanatum Wanntorp
- Microloma longitubum Schltr.
- Microloma namaquense H. Bol.
- Microloma penicillatum Schltr.
- Microloma poicilanthum Huber
- Microloma sagittatum (L.) R. Br.
- Microloma schaferi Dinter
- Microloma spinosum N.E. Br.
- Microloma tenuifolium (L.) K. Schum.
- Microloma viridiflorum N.E. Br.