Lagenandra is a genus of aquatic (to semi-aquatic) flowering plants in the aroid family, Araceae,[2] endemic to the Indian Subcontinent (Bangladesh, India and Sri Lanka).[3][4] The genus has gradually become more known through the aquascaping and aquarium hobby, in which several related Araceae genera are already highly prized and grown on a large scale (notably Anubias, Bucephalandra and Cryptocoryne); Lagenandra, however, is still relatively rare in cultivation or private collections.
| Lagenandra | |
|---|---|
| |
| Lagenandra ovata (left) and Lagenandra koenigii (right)[1] | |
| |
| Lagenandra toxicaria, in Kerala, South India. | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Monocots |
| Order: | Alismatales |
| Family: | Araceae |
| Subfamily: | Aroideae |
| Tribe: | Cryptocoryneae |
| Genus: | Lagenandra Dalzell |
The genus is visually-similar to (and, in places, sympatric with) the Cryptocoryne, but is distinguishable for its involute vernation (leaf growth); comparatively, Cryptocoryne tends to exhibit convolute vernation.[5]
Description
editHelophytes, rarely rheophytes, with thick creeping rhizome; leaf blade simple, ovate to almost linear, fine venation transverse-reticulate; spathe tube with connate margins; spadix entirely enclosed in spathe tube; flowers unisexual, perigone absent. Differs from Cryptocoryne in having female flowers spirally arranged (pseudo-whorl in Lagenandra nairii, whorled in Lagenandra gomezii) and free; spathe tube "kettle" with connate margins (containing spadix) occupying entire spathe tube; spathe blade usually opening only slightly by a straight or twisted slit; berries free, opening from base; leaf ptyxis involute.[6]
Species
editAccepted species are as follows.[3] A key to the species described before 1986 was provided by Crusio and de Graaf.[7]
- Lagenandra bogneri de Wit - Sri Lanka
- Lagenandra dewitii Crusio & de Graaf - Sri Lanka
- Lagenandra erosa de Wit - Sri Lanka
- Lagenandra gomezii (Schott) Bogner & Jacobsen - Bangladesh
- Lagenandra jacobseni de Wit - Sri Lanka
- Lagenandra keralensis Sivadasan & Jaleel - Kerala
- Lagenandra koenigii (Schott) Thwaites - Sri Lanka
- Lagenandra lancifolia (Schott) Thwaites - Sri Lanka
- Lagenandra meeboldii (Engler) C.E.C. Fischer - southwestern India
- Lagenandra nairii Ramamurthy & Rajan - southwestern India
- Lagenandra ovata (L.) Thwaites - southwestern India, Sri Lanka
- Lagenandra praetermissa de Wit & Nicolson - Sri Lanka
- Lagenandra thwaitesii Engler - Sri Lanka
- Lagenandra toxicaria Dalzell - southwestern India
- Lagenandra undulata Sastry - Assam
References
edit- ^ Pohl in Das Pflanzenreich of Engler - "Das Pflanzenreich" Vol. 73-74 (1920)
- ^ de Wit, H.C.D. (1978). "Revisie van het genus Lagenandra Dalzell (Araceae)". Mededelingen Landbouwhogeschool Wageningen. 78 (13): 1–45.
- ^ a b Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families
- ^ Bastmeijer, Jan D. "Lagenandra gallery". Retrieved 2009-01-09.
- ^ Bown, Demi (2000). Aroids: Plants of the Arum Family. Timber Press. ISBN 0-88192-485-7.
- ^ Simon J. Mayo, Josef Bogner, Peter C. Boyce: The Genera of Araceae. 1. published, Royal Botanic Gardens/ Kew Publishing, London 1997, ISBN 1-900347-22-9 (Full-text as PDF-file; Continental Printing, Belgium 1997).
- ^ Crusio W.E. and de Graaf A. (1986). "Lagenandra dewitii Crusio et de Graaf (Araceae), eine neue Art aus Sri Lanka". Aqua Planta. 11: 56–59.