Volkameria
Encyclopedia
Volkameria is a genus
of flowering plant
s in the family
; Lamiaceae
. It has about 30 species
and is pantropical
in distribution
. Many of the species are found in coastal habitat
s. The type species
for the genus is Volkameria aculeata.
The species of Volkameria are mostly shrub
s, sometimes subshrub
s or liana
s, rarely small tree
s. The stems
have swollen nodes
. The flower
s are usually fragrant. The fruit
matures
black or brown, separating into four corky pyrenes.
Volkameria aculeata and Volkameria glabra are grown as ornamentals
in the tropics
. Volkameria heterophylla is also known in cultivation. Volkameria inermis is planted
as a sand binder
.
by Linnaeus in Species Plantarum
in 1753. According to OED the genus was named after Johann Georg Volckamer (1616-1693), a German
botanist, though other sources give credit to his son, Johann Georg Volckamer, the Younger (1662-1744), or to Johann Christoph Volkamer
(1644-1720), another German botanist.
In 1895, John Isaac Briquet
defined the genus Clerodendrum
broadly, to include all of those species now placed in Rotheca
, Clerodendrum, Volkameria, and Ovieda. This was considered questionable by many, but for the next 100 years, Briquet's circumscription
was usually followed, mostly because of confusion and uncertainty regarding this group of at least 200 species.
In 2010, a molecular phylogenetic analysis of DNA sequence
s showed that most of the Clerodendrum species that had been in Volkameria were more closely related to Aegiphila
, Ovieda, Tetraclea, and Amasonia than to other species of Clerodendrum. (See the phylogenetic tree
at Lamiaceae
). Following these results, Volkameria was reinstated. Some species that had been erroneously placed in Volkameria were excluded. Some of the poorly known species in Clerodendrum might still need to be transferred to Volkameria.
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 flowering plant
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
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...
; Lamiaceae
Lamiaceae
The mints, taxonomically known as Lamiaceae or Labiatae, are a family of flowering plants. They have traditionally been considered closely related to Verbenaceae, but in the 1990s, phylogenetic studies suggested that many genera classified in Verbenaceae belong instead in Lamiaceae...
. It has about 30 species
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
and is pantropical
Pantropical
In biogeography, a pantropical distribution one which covers tropical regions of all of the major continents, i.e. in Africa, in Asia and in the Americas. Examples include the plant genera Acacia and Bacopa....
in distribution
Range (biology)
In biology, the range or distribution of a species is the geographical area within which that species can be found. Within that range, dispersion is variation in local density.The term is often qualified:...
. Many of the species are found in coastal habitat
Habitat
* Habitat , a place where a species lives and grows*Human habitat, a place where humans live, work or play** Space habitat, a space station intended as a permanent settlement...
s. The type species
Type species
In biological nomenclature, a type species is both a concept and a practical system which is used in the classification and nomenclature of animals and plants. The value of a "type species" lies in the fact that it makes clear what is meant by a particular genus name. A type species is the species...
for the genus is Volkameria aculeata.
The species of Volkameria are mostly shrub
Shrub
A shrub or bush is distinguished from a tree by its multiple stems and shorter height, usually under 5–6 m tall. A large number of plants may become either shrubs or trees, depending on the growing conditions they experience...
s, sometimes subshrub
Subshrub
A subshrub or dwarf shrub is a short woody plant. Prostrate shrub is a similar term.It is distinguished from a shrub by its ground-hugging stems and lower height, with overwintering perennial woody growth typically less than 10–20 cm tall, or by being only weakly woody and/or persisting...
s or liana
Liana
A liana is any of various long-stemmed, woody vines that are rooted in the soil at ground level and use trees, as well as other means of vertical support, to climb up to the canopy to get access to well-lit areas of the forest. Lianas are especially characteristic of tropical moist deciduous...
s, rarely 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. The stems
Plant stem
A stem is one of two main structural axes of a vascular plant. The stem is normally divided into nodes and internodes, the nodes hold buds which grow into one or more leaves, inflorescence , conifer cones, roots, other stems etc. The internodes distance one node from another...
have swollen nodes
Plant stem
A stem is one of two main structural axes of a vascular plant. The stem is normally divided into nodes and internodes, the nodes hold buds which grow into one or more leaves, inflorescence , conifer cones, roots, other stems etc. The internodes distance one node from another...
. 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 usually fragrant. 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,...
matures
Ripening
Ripening is a process in fruits that causes them to become more palatable. In general, a fruit becomes sweeter, less green, and softer as it ripens. Even though the acidity of fruit increases as it ripens, the higher acidity level does not make the fruit seem tarter, which can lead to the...
black or brown, separating into four corky pyrenes.
Volkameria aculeata and Volkameria glabra are grown as ornamentals
Ornamental plant
Ornamental plants are plants that are grown for decorative purposes in gardens and landscape design projects, as house plants, for cut flowers and specimen display...
in the tropics
Tropics
The tropics is a region of the Earth surrounding the Equator. It is limited in latitude by the Tropic of Cancer in the northern hemisphere at approximately N and the Tropic of Capricorn in the southern hemisphere at S; these latitudes correspond to the axial tilt of the Earth...
. Volkameria heterophylla is also known in cultivation. Volkameria inermis is planted
Sowing
Sowing is the process of planting seeds.-Plants which are usually sown:Among the major field crops, oats, wheat, and rye are sowed, grasses and legumes are seeded, and maize and soybeans are planted...
as a sand binder
Erosion control
Erosion control is the practice of preventing or controlling wind or water erosion in agriculture, land development and construction. Effective erosion controls are important techniques in preventing water pollution and soil loss.-Introduction:...
.
Species
The 30 or so species of Volkameria include the following:
|
History
Volkameria was namedBotanical name
A botanical name is a formal scientific name conforming to the International Code of Botanical Nomenclature and, if it concerns a plant cultigen, the additional cultivar and/or Group epithets must conform to the International Code of Nomenclature for Cultivated Plants...
by Linnaeus in Species Plantarum
Species Plantarum
Species Plantarum was first published in 1753, as a two-volume work by Carl Linnaeus. Its prime importance is perhaps that it is the primary starting point of plant nomenclature as it exists today. This means that the first names to be considered validly published in botany are those that appear...
in 1753. According to OED the genus was named after Johann Georg Volckamer (1616-1693), a German
Germans
The Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....
botanist, though other sources give credit to his son, Johann Georg Volckamer, the Younger (1662-1744), or to Johann Christoph Volkamer
Johann Christoph Volkamer
Johann Christoph Volkamer was a German merchant, manufacturer and botanist.-Life:Johann Christoph Volkamer was the son of the physician Johann George Volkamer. He was occupied by hobby with the botany and maintained a garden in the today's Nurembergian Gostenhof district...
(1644-1720), another German botanist.
In 1895, John Isaac Briquet
John Isaac Briquet
John Isaac Briquet was a Swiss plant collector.-References:...
defined the genus Clerodendrum
Clerodendrum
Clerodendrum is a genus of flowering plants in the family Lamiaceae. Its common names include glorybower, bagflower and bleeding-heart...
broadly, to include all of those species now placed in Rotheca
Rotheca
Rotheca is a genus of flowering plants in the family Lamiaceae. Estimates of the number of species in the genus vary from about 35 to as many as 60. Three of the species are native to tropical Asia, with the rest occurring in Sub-Saharan Africa. The type species for the genus is Rotheca serrata...
, Clerodendrum, Volkameria, and Ovieda. This was considered questionable by many, but for the next 100 years, Briquet's circumscription
Circumscription (taxonomy)
In taxonomy, circumscription is the definition of the limits of a taxonomic group of organisms. One goal of taxonomy is to achieve a stable circumscription for every taxonomic group. Achieving stability can be simple or difficult....
was usually followed, mostly because of confusion and uncertainty regarding this group of at least 200 species.
In 2010, a molecular phylogenetic analysis of DNA sequence
DNA sequence
The sequence or primary structure of a nucleic acid is the composition of atoms that make up the nucleic acid and the chemical bonds that bond those atoms. Because nucleic acids, such as DNA and RNA, are unbranched polymers, this specification is equivalent to specifying the sequence of...
s showed that most of the Clerodendrum species that had been in Volkameria were more closely related to Aegiphila
Aegiphila
Aegiphila is a genus of plant in family Verbenaceae.Species include:* Aegiphila cordifolia, Moldenke* Aegiphila fasciculata, J.D...
, Ovieda, Tetraclea, and Amasonia than to other species of Clerodendrum. (See the phylogenetic tree
Phylogenetic tree
A phylogenetic tree or evolutionary tree is a branching diagram or "tree" showing the inferred evolutionary relationships among various biological species or other entities based upon similarities and differences in their physical and/or genetic characteristics...
at Lamiaceae
Lamiaceae
The mints, taxonomically known as Lamiaceae or Labiatae, are a family of flowering plants. They have traditionally been considered closely related to Verbenaceae, but in the 1990s, phylogenetic studies suggested that many genera classified in Verbenaceae belong instead in Lamiaceae...
). Following these results, Volkameria was reinstated. Some species that had been erroneously placed in Volkameria were excluded. Some of the poorly known species in Clerodendrum might still need to be transferred to Volkameria.