''Cussonia'' is a

genus Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...

of plants of the family

Araliaceae The Araliaceae are a family of flowering plants composed of about 43 genera and around 1500 species consisting of primarily woody plants and some herbaceous plants commonly called the ginseng family. The morphology of Araliaceae varies widely ...

, which is native to the

Afrotropics The Afrotropical realm is one of the Earth's eight biogeographic realms. It includes Sub-Saharan Africa, the southern Arabian Peninsula, the island of Madagascar, and the islands of the western Indian Ocean. It was formerly known as the Ethiopi ...

. It originated in Africa and has its center of distribution in

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. Its Provinces of South Africa, nine provinces are bounded to the south by of coastline that stretches along the Atlantic O ...

and the

Mascarene Islands The Mascarene Islands (, ) or Mascarenes or Mascarenhas Archipelago is a group of islands in the Indian Ocean east of Madagascar consisting of islands belonging to the Republic of Mauritius as well as the French department of Réunion. Their na ...

. Due to their striking habit, they are a conspicuous and easily recognizable group of plants. Their genus name commemorates the botanist Pierre Cusson. The Afro-Malagasy and Asian ''

Schefflera ''Schefflera'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Araliaceae with 13 species native to New Zealand and some Pacific islands. The genus is named in honor of , physician and botanist of Gdańsk, and later of Warsaw, who contributed plan ...

'', and Afrotropical '' Seemannaralia'' genera are related taxa that share several of its morphological characteristics, among which the leaves borne on the end of branches, inflorescences carried on terminal branches or stems, and reduced leaf complexity in developing inflorescences.

Range and habitat

They occur in

grasslands A grassland is an area where the vegetation is dominated by grasses (Poaceae). However, sedge ( Cyperaceae) and rush ( Juncaceae) can also be found along with variable proportions of legumes such as clover, and other herbs. Grasslands occur ...

, woodlands and forests, from sea level to over 2,000 metres in altitude. Geographically, they are indigenous to

sub-Saharan Africa Sub-Saharan Africa is the area and regions of the continent of Africa that lie south of the Sahara. These include Central Africa, East Africa, Southern Africa, and West Africa. Geopolitically, in addition to the list of sovereign states and ...

Yemen Yemen, officially the Republic of Yemen, is a country in West Asia. Located in South Arabia, southern Arabia, it borders Saudi Arabia to Saudi Arabia–Yemen border, the north, Oman to Oman–Yemen border, the northeast, the south-eastern part ...

in the Arabian Peninsula and the

Comoro Islands The Comoro Islands are a group of volcanic islands in the Mozambique Channel, an arm of the Indian Ocean lying between Madagascar and the African mainland. Three of the islands form the Union of the Comoros, a sovereign nation, while Mayotte bel ...

Habit and morphology

They are squat to lanky shrubs and trees with a palm-like habit. Their leaves are typically grouped in umbrella-shaped arrangements at the tips of long erect branches. The leaves are carried on long petioles, and have conspicuous stipules. The leaves are very variable in shape, often palmately compound (''cf.'' subgenus ''Paniculata'' Strey) with leaflets likewise variable in shape, but also simple or palmate. Their usually dense inflorescences are often spiked, and their small flowers usually have 5 greenish petals. Their stems and underground parts are succulent, and their bark is often corky. These plants are best grown from seed. These plants can handle an occasional and mild frost, but a chill will make the leaves fall off.

Species

There are some 20 to 22 species: * ''

Cussonia angolensis ''Cussonia'' is a genus of plants of the family Araliaceae, which is native to the Afrotropics. It originated in Africa and has its center of distribution in South Africa and the Mascarene Islands. Due to their striking habit, they are a conspi ...

'' (Seem.) Hiern * '' Cussonia arborea'' Hochst. ex A.Rich. * '' Cussonia arenicola'' Strey * '' Cussonia bancoensis'' Aubrév. & Pellegr. * '' Cussonia brieyi'' De Wild. * '' Cussonia corbisieri'' De Wild. * '' Cussonia gamtoosensis'' Strey * '' Cussonia holstii'' Harms ex Engl. * '' Cussonia jatrophoides'' Hutchinson & E.A.Bruce * '' Cussonia natalensis'' Sond. * '' Cussonia nicholsonii'' Strey * ''

Cussonia ostinii ''Cussonia'' is a genus of plants of the family Araliaceae, which is native to the Afrotropical realm, Afrotropics. It originated in Africa and has its Center of origin, center of distribution in South Africa and the Mascarene Islands. Due to th ...

'' Chiov. * ''

Cussonia paniculata ''Cussonia paniculata'', also known as kiepersol, is a large evergreen shrub or small tree up to in height native to South Africa. The plant has large and bold textured grey foliage. Uses The leaf is used ethnomedically to treat dysmenorrhea. ...

'' Eckl. & Zeyh. * ''

Cussonia sessilis ''Cussonia'' is a genus of plants of the family Araliaceae, which is native to the Afrotropics. It originated in Africa and has its center of distribution in South Africa and the Mascarene Islands. Due to their striking habit, they are a conspi ...

'' Lebrun * '' Cussonia sphaerocephala'' Strey * ''

Cussonia spicata ''Cussonia spicata'', known as spiked cabbage tree, lowveld cabbage tree or common cabbage tree, is a tree in the family Araliaceae, which is native to the moister regions of Sub-Saharan Africa. It is cultivated as a garden plant in areas withou ...

'' Thunb. * ''

Cussonia thyrsiflora ''Cussonia thyrsiflora'', known as the Cape coast cabbage tree, or Kaapse kuskiepersol in Afrikaans, is a small evergreen tree in the family Araliaceae. Range It naturally occurs in South Africa along the southern Cape coast, between Cape Town a ...

'' Thunb. * '' Cussonia transvaalensis'' Reyneke * '' Cussonia zimmermannii'' Harms * '' Cussonia zuluensis'' Strey

Gallery

Cussonia natalensis, blaar, Mthonjaneni.jpg, Palmate leaf of '' Cussonia natalensis'' Cussonia nicholsonii, blaar, Burmanbos.jpg, Compound leaf of '' Cussonia nicholsonii'' (6 leaflets) Cussonia paniculata07.jpg, Inflorescences of ''

'' Cussonia thyrsiflora - Cape Coast Cabbage Tree 2.JPG, Infrutescences of ''

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q142359 Araliaceae Apiales genera Flora of Southern Africa