Capparis Sepiaria

''Capparis'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Capparaceae. It includes 142 species of shrubs or lianas which are collectively known as caper shrubs or caperbushes. ''Capparis'' species occur over a wide range of habitat in the subtropical and tropical regions of Africa, Eurasia, Australasia, and the Pacific.

The genus was included in the family Brassicaceae in the unrevised APG II system.

Plant description

The leaves are simple, entire, and rarely reduced. Flowers are bisexual, bracteates, axillary or supra-axillary, solitary or in rows, in racemes or umbels. Sepals and petals are 4 in number and are free. Stamens are many, ovary on a gynophore, one-celled. Fruit is a berry, globose or ellipsoid.

Uses and ecology

Caperbushes are mainly used by humans for their fruit, which are rich in micronutrients. ''C. spinosa'', simply known as caper, yields fruit and more importantly flower buds, which are widely used pickled as a vegetable condiment. The flower bud has been used since antiquity, and many classical authors indicate that the berry or small white blossom was commonly used as an aphrodisiac and a condiment. The plant is known in classical Hebrew as אֲבִיּﯴנָ֑ה, a word that appears in one verse of Scripture (Ecclesiastes 12:5).

The fruit of other species, such as ''karir'' (''C. decidua''), are also used for cooking; '' C. mitchellii'' and the Wild passionfruit (the local subspecies of ''C. spinosa'') are well-known bush tucker in Australia. Mabinlang seeds (''C. masaikai'') are eaten as sweets.

Mabinlang is also used in Traditional Chinese Medicine. ''Aspalathos'', the root of a shrub contained for example in the sacred Ancient Egyptian incense ''kp.t'' (kyphi), is sometimes considered to be ''C. spinosa''. Other species have also recorded uses in herbalism and folk medicine; dedicated research is largely lacking however. Mabinlins are sweet-tasting proteins found in Mabinlang seed (and possibly in other ''Capparis'' species); at least one of them is highly resistant to heat. The market for mabinlins is not large, but this is mainly due to insufficient supply rather than to lack of demand.

The 1889 book ''The Useful Native Plants of Australia'' records that ''Capparis canescens'' was also referred to as "Mondoleu" by the indigenous people from Rockhampton area of Queensland and that "The fruit is pyriform and half an inch in diameter. It is eaten by the aborigines without any preparation." (Thozet.) Mr. P. O'Shanesy observes that the pulpy part in which these Australian species of ''Capparis'' are imbedded is a good substitute for mustard."

Caperbushes from arid regions - chiefly ''C. decidua'' - are highly useful in landscape gardening, afforestation and reforestation. They can stop soil erosion and preserve agricultural land. Any large-flowered species can be used to attract butterflies. The Crimson Rose ('' Atrophaneura hector''), a spectacular swallowtail butterfly of South Asia, likes to visit flowers of '' C. spinosa'' in the winter months for example.

The fruit and seeds of caperbushes are relished by many birds and other animals such as spiny-tailed lizards. ''Capparis'' plants are highly important as food for certain Lepidoptera caterpillars, many of them being Pierinae:
* '' Appias lyncida'' (chocolate albatross) - recorded on ''C. heyneana'' and ''C. roxburghii.''
* ''Astraptes fulgerator'' (two-barred flasher) - recorded on ''C. frondosa.''
* '' Belenois aurota'' (caper white or pioneer) - recorded on '' C. zeylanica.''
* '' Cepora nerissa'' (common gull) - mainly on '' C. zeylanica.''
* '' Hebomoia glaucippe'' (great orangetip) - recorded on ''C. monii'', ''C. roxburghii'' and ''C. sepiaria.''
* '' Ixias marianne'' (white orangetip) - recorded on ''C. grandis, C. sepiaria, C. decidua, and C. divaricata.''
* '' Leptosia nina'' (psyche) - recorded on '' C. zeylanica'' and others.
* '' Pareronia ceylanica'' (dark wanderer) - recorded on ''C. heydeana'', ''C. rheedii''
* '' Pareronia valeria'' (common wanderer) - recorded on ''C. zeylanica, C. rheedii'', ''C.'' ''heydeana''

The plant pathogenic ascomycete fungus ''Mycosphaerella capparis'' was described from a caperbush. Some species of ''Capparis'' are becoming rare, mainly due to habitat destruction, and a few are seriously threatened with extinction.

Species

''Plants of the World Online'' currently includes:

# ''Capparis acutifolia'' Sweet
# '' Capparis annamensis'' (Baker f.) M.Jacobs
# '' Capparis anomala'' (F.Muell.) Christenh. & Byng
# '' Capparis arborea'' (F.Muell.) Maiden – Brush caper
# '' Capparis artensis'' Montrouz.
# '' Capparis assamica'' Hook.f. & Thomson
# '' Capparis bachii'' Sy, R.K.Choudhary & Joongku Lee
# '' Capparis batianoffii'' Guymer
# '' Capparis beneolens'' Gagnep.
# '' Capparis bodinieri'' H.Lév.
# '' Capparis brachybotrya'' Hallier f.
# '' Capparis brassii'' DC.
# '' Capparis brevispina'' DC.
# '' Capparis burmanica'' Collett & Hemsl.
# '' Capparis buwaldae'' M.Jacobs
# '' Capparis callophylla'' Blume
# '' Capparis canescens'' Banks ex DC.
# '' Capparis cantoniensis'' Lour.
# '' Capparis cartilaginea'' Decne.
# '' Capparis cataphyllosa'' M.Jacobs
# '' Capparis chingiana'' B.S.Sun
# '' Capparis chrysomeia'' Bojer
# '' Capparis cinerea'' M.Jacobs
# '' Capparis cleghornii'' Dunn
# '' Capparis corymbosa'' Lam.
# '' Capparis cucurbitina'' King
# '' Capparis daknongensis'' Sy, G.C.Tucker, Cornejo & Joongku Lee
# '' Capparis danielii''
# '' Capparis dasyphylla'' Merr. & F.P.Metcalf
# '' Capparis decidua'' (Forssk.) Edgew. (= ''C. aphylla'') – ''karir'' (''kirir'', ''k(h)air'', ''karril'', etc.)
# '' Capparis diffusa'' Ridl.
# '' Capparis dioica'' Gilg
# '' Capparis divaricata'' Lam.
# '' Capparis diversifolia'' Wight & Arn.
# '' Capparis dongvanensis'' Sy, B.H.Quang & D.V.Hai
# '' Capparis echinocarpa'' Pierre ex Gagnep.
# '' Capparis erycibe'' Hallier f.
# '' Capparis erythrocarpos'' Isert
# '' Capparis fascicularis'' DC.
# '' Capparis fengii'' B.S.Sun
# '' Capparis flavicans'' Kurz
# '' Capparis floribunda'' Wight
# '' Capparis florida'' Fici & Souvann.
# '' Capparis fohaiensis'' B.S.Sun
# ''Capparis formosana'' Hemsl.
# '' Capparis fusifera'' Dunn
# '' Capparis gialaiensis'' Sy
# '' Capparis grandidieri'' Baill.
# '' Capparis grandiflora'' Wall. ex Hook.f. & Thomson
# '' Capparis grandis'' L.f.
# '' Capparis hainanensis'' Oliv.
# '' Capparis henryi'' Matsum.
# '' Capparis hereroensis'' Schinz
# '' Capparis heteracantha'' DC.
# '' Capparis hinnamnoensis'' Souvann. & Fici
# '' Capparis humistrata'' (F.Muell.) F.Muell.
# '' Capparis hypovellerea'' Gilg & Gilg-Ben.
# '' Capparis incanescens''
# '' Capparis irenae''
# '' Capparis jacobsii'' Hewson
# '' Capparis kbangensis'' Sy & D.V.Hai
# ''Capparis kebarensis'' Fici
# '' Capparis khuamak'' Gagnep.
# '' Capparis klossii'' Ridl.
# '' Capparis koioides'' M.Jacobs
# '' Capparis kollimalayana'' M.B.Viswan.
# '' Capparis lanceolaris'' DC.
# '' Capparis lanceolatifolia'' Fici, Bouaman. & Souvann.
# '' Capparis laotica'' Gagnep.
# '' Capparis lasiantha'' R.Br. ex DC.
# '' Capparis lianosa''
# '' Capparis lobbiana'' Turcz.
# '' Capparis longestipitata'' Heine
# '' Capparis longgangensis'' S.L.Mo & X.S.Lee ex Y.S.Huang
# '' Capparis loranthifolia'' Lindl.
# '' Capparis lucida'' (Banks ex DC.) Benth.
# '' Capparis macleishii'' (A.G.Mill.) Christenh. & Byng
# '' Capparis macrantha'' Souvann., Fici & Lanors.
# '' Capparis masaikai'' H.Lév.
# '' Capparis mekongensis'' Gagnep.
# '' Capparis membranifolia'' Kurz
# '' Capparis micracantha'' DC.
# '' Capparis micrantha'' A.Rich.
# ''Capparis mitchellii'' (Lindl. ex F.Muell.) Lindl. – wild orange (Australia), ''merne atwakeye'' (Arrernte)
# '' Capparis monantha'' M.Jacobs
# '' Capparis moonii'' Wight
# '' Capparis multiflora'' Hook.f. & Thomson
# '' Capparis nilgiriensis'' Subba Rao, Kumari & V.Chandras.
# '' Capparis nobilis'' (Endl.) F.Muell. ex Benth. - devil's guts (Norfolk Island)
# '' Capparis nummularia'' DC.
# '' Capparis olacifolia'' Hook.f. & Thomson
# '' Capparis ornans'' F.Muell. ex Benth.
# '' Capparis pachyphylla'' M.Jacobs
# '' Capparis parvifolia'' Fici
# '' Capparis poggei'' Pax
# '' Capparis pranensis'' (Pierre ex Gagnep.) M.Jacobs
# '' Capparis pseudocerasifera'' Hauman
# '' Capparis pubiflora'' DC.
# '' Capparis pubifolia'' B.S.Sun
# '' Capparis pyrifolia'' Lam.
# '' Capparis quiniflora'' DC.
# '' Capparis radula'' Gagnep.
# '' Capparis ramonensis'' Danin
# '' Capparis rheedei'' DC.
# '' Capparis richardii'' Baill.
# '' Capparis rigida'' M.Jacobs
# '' Capparis rotundifolia'' Rottler
# '' Capparis roxburghii'' DC.
# '' Capparis rufidula'' M.Jacobs
# '' Capparis sabiifolia'' Hook.f. & Thomson
# ''Capparis sandwichiana'' DC. – Hawaiian caper, ''Maiapilo'', ''Pua pilo'' (Hawaii endemic)
# '' Capparis sarmentosa'' A.Cunn. ex Benth.
# '' Capparis scortechinii'' King
# '' Capparis sepiaria'' L.; a cryptic species complex
# '' Capparis shanesiana'' F.Muell.
# ''Capparis shevaroyensis'' Sundararagh.
# '' Capparis siamensis'' Kurz
# '' Capparis sikkimensis'' Kurz
# ''Capparis spinosa'' L. – Caper
(note: ''C. zoharyi'' Inocencio, D.Rivera, Obón & Alcaraz is a synonym of ''C. spinosa var. aegyptia'' (Lam.) Boiss.)
# '' Capparis srilankensis'' Sundararagh.
# '' Capparis subsessilis'' B.S.Sun
# '' Capparis sunbisiniana'' M.L.Zhang & G.C.Tucker
# '' Capparis tagbanuorum'' Fici
# '' Capparis tchaourembensis'' Fici
# '' Capparis tenera'' Dalzell
# '' Capparis thorelii'' Gagnep.
# '' Capparis thozetiana'' (F.Muell.) F.Muell.
# '' Capparis tomentosa'' Lam.
# '' Capparis tonkinensis'' Gagnep.
# '' Capparis trichocarpa'' B.S.Sun
# '' Capparis trinervia'' Hook.f. & Thomson
# '' Capparis trisonthiae'' Srisanga & Chayam.
# '' Capparis umbonata'' Lindl. - northern wild orange
# '' Capparis urophylla'' F.Chun
# '' Capparis velutina'' P.I.Forst.
# '' Capparis versicolor'' Griff.
# '' Capparis viburnifolia'' Gagnep.
# '' Capparis viminea'' Oliv.
# '' Capparis wui'' B.S.Sun
# '' Capparis yunnanensis'' Craib & W.W.Sm.
# '' Capparis zeylanica'' L. (= ''C. linearis'' Blanco) – ''kapchip'' (Wayuunaiki)
# '' Capparis zippeliana'' Miq.
# '' Capparis zoharyi'' Inocencio et al.

Formerly placed here

* ''Adansonia gregorii'' F.Muell. (as ''Capparis gibbosa'' A.Cunn.)
* ''Boscia albitrunca'' (Burch.) Gilg & Benedict (as ''C. albitrunca'' Burch.)
* '' Boscia oleoides'' (as ''C. oleoides'' Burch. ex DC.)
* '' Crateva magna'' (Lour.) DC. (as ''C. magna'' Lour.)
* '' Morisonia flexuosa'' L. (as ''C. flexuosa'' (L.) L.) – Limber caper
* '' Morisonia hastata'' (Jacq.) Christenh. & Byng (as ''C. hastata'' – Broadleaf caper
* '' Morisonia heterophylla'' (Ruiz & Pav. ex DC.) Christenh. & Byng (as ''C. heterophylla'' Ruiz & Pav. ex DC.)
* '' Morisonia pulcherrima'' (Jacq.) Miers (as ''C. pulcherrima'' Jacq.)
* '' Morisonia retusa'' (Griseb.) Christenh. & Byng (as ''C. retusa'' Griseb.)
* '' Morisonia salicifolia'' (Griseb.) Christenh. & Byng (as ''C. salicifolia'' Griseb.)
* '' Morisonia scabrida'' (Kunth) Seem. (as ''C. scabrida'' Kunth)
* '' Morisonia speciosa'' (Griseb.) Cornejo & H.H.Iltis (as ''C. speciosa'' Griseb.)
* '' Ritchiea reflexa'' (Thonn. & Schumach.) Gilg & Gilg-Ben (as ''C. reflexa'' Thonn. & Schumach.)

See also

* Caparica (Almada)

Footnotes

References

* (2006): Problems with DNA barcodes for species delimitation: ‘ten species’ of ''Astraptes fulgerator'' reassessed (Lepidoptera: Hesperiidae). ''Systematics and Biodiversity'' 4(2): 127–132. PDF fulltext
* (2004): Ten species in one: DNA barcoding reveals cryptic species in the semitropical skipper butterfly ''Astraptes fulgerator''. ''PNAS'' 101(41): 14812–14817. PDF fulltextSupporting Appendices

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Taxonomy articles created by Polbot
Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus
Brassicales genera