Alectryon (genus)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search
Alectryon
Alectryon tomentosus
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Eudicots
(unranked): Rosids
Order: Sapindales
Family: Sapindaceae
Subfamily: Sapindoideae
Genus: Alectryon
Gaertn.
Species

See text

Synonyms

Heterodendrum Desf.[1]

Alectryon is a genus of trees in the soapberry family, Sapindaceae. The genus is distributed across Australasia, Micronesia and Southeast Asia. The genus is found in a wide variety of environments from rainforests and gallery forests to arid savannas and heaths.

Species height varies form low shrubs to trees of 30 m. Their leathery leaves may be simple or pinnate foliage. Small flowers, usually formed at the end of the stem, are followed by fruit which split when ripe to reveal a large seed with a fleshy aril. These juicy appendages attract birds and other seed dispersing animals.

The name Alectryon is derived from Greek word for "rooster". This refers to the cockscomb appearance of aril on the fruit. See also: Alectryon (mythology)

[edit] Species

Alectryon macrococcus var auwahiensis
Alectryon diversifolius foliage

[edit] References

  1. ^ "Genus: Alectryon Gaertn.". Germplasm Resources Information Network. United States Department of Agriculture. 2006-03-29. http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/genus.pl?369. Retrieved 2010-08-29. 

[edit] External links

Media related to Alectryon at Wikimedia Commons Data related to Alectryon at Wikispecies

Personal tools
Namespaces
Variants
Actions
Navigation
Interaction
Toolbox
Print/export
Languages