Pourouma
Encyclopedia
Pourouma is a genus of about 20–25 species of flowering plant
s in the family Urticaceae
, native to tropical regions of Central
and South America
.
The species are tree
s growing to 20 m tall. The leaves
are spirally arranged, palmately veined, with an entire margin. They are dioecious
, with male and female flower
s on separate trees. The fruit
is fleshy.
Selected species
Flowering plant
The flowering plants , also known as Angiospermae or Magnoliophyta, are the most diverse group of land plants. Angiosperms are seed-producing plants like the gymnosperms and can be distinguished from the gymnosperms by a series of synapomorphies...
s in the family Urticaceae
Urticaceae
Urticaceae, or the nettle family, is a family of flowering plants. The family name comes from the genus Urtica . Urticaceae includes a number of well-known and useful plants, including the aforementioned nettles, Ramie , māmaki , and ajlai .The family includes approximately 2600 species, grouped...
, native to tropical regions of Central
Central America
Central America is the central geographic region of the Americas. It is the southernmost, isthmian portion of the North American continent, which connects with South America on the southeast. When considered part of the unified continental model, it is considered a subcontinent...
and South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
.
The species are 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 growing to 20 m tall. 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 spirally arranged, palmately veined, with an entire margin. They are dioecious
Plant sexuality
Plant sexuality covers the wide variety of sexual reproduction systems found across the plant kingdom. This article describes morphological aspects of sexual reproduction of plants....
, with male and female 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 on separate trees. The fruit
Fruit
In broad terms, a fruit is a structure of a plant that contains its seeds.The term has different meanings dependent on context. In non-technical usage, such as food preparation, fruit normally means the fleshy seed-associated structures of certain plants that are sweet and edible in the raw state,...
is fleshy.
Selected species
- Pourouma cecropiifolia - Amazon Grape
- Pourouma orariaPourouma orariaPourouma oraria is a species of flowering plant in the genus Pourouma. It is found in Colombia, Panama, and Peru. It is threatened by habitat loss.-References:* Mitré, M. 1998. . Downloaded on 23 August 2007....
Standl.Paul Carpenter StandleyPaul Carpenter Standley was an American botanist.Standley was born in Avalon, Missouri...
& Cuatr. - Pourouma petiolulataPourouma petiolulataPourouma petiolulata is a species of flowering plant in the genus Pourouma. It is endemic to Ecuador. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests. It is threatened by habitat loss.-References:...
C.C.Berg