Chionographis

Chionographis
Chionographis
Chionographis japonica
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Monocots
Order: Liliales
Family: Melanthiaceae
Genus: Chionographis
Maximowicz
Species

See text.

Chionographis is a genus of four herbaceous plant species. This genus is a member of the Melanthiaceae.

Chionographis species are perennial flowering plants that grow from rhizomes. They produce a basal rosette of evergreen leaves, from the center of which emerges a flowering scape. The scape produces a spike of many small white flowers. The flowers are zygomorphic in shape, and when perfect have six tepals, one pistil, and six stamens. However, not all individuals have perfect flowers. Many populations feature gynodioecy,[1] and more rarely, androdioecy.[2] They are native to China, Japan, and Korea, and typically grow in moist places in the temperate forests' understory.

There are 4 species in the genus:[3]

  • C. chinensis
  • C. hisauchiana
  • C. japonica
  • C. koidzumiana

C. hisauchiana was only recently distinguished from C. japonica.[4]

References

  1. ^ Masayuki Maki and Michiko Masuda (1993). "Spatial Autocorrelation of Genotypes in a Gynodioecious Population of Chionographis japonica var. Kurohimensis (Liliaceae)". International Journal of Plant Sciences 154 (4): 467–472. doi:10.1086/297130. JSTOR 2995623. 
  2. ^ Hiroshi Hara (1968). The Journal of Japanese Botany 43 (9): 257–268. 
  3. ^ Chen Xinqi and Minoru N. Tamura (2000). Flora of China 24: 88. http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/PDF/PDF24/chionographis.pdf. 
  4. ^ Noriyuki Tanaka (2003). "New Status and Combinations for Japanese Taxa of Chionographis (Melanthiaceae)". Novon 13 (2): 212–215. doi:10.2307/3393523. JSTOR 3393523. 

External links


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