''Putterlickia'', variously called spikethorns, false spike thorns, mock spike thorns and bastard spike thorns, are a genus of flowering plants in the staff vine and bittersweet family
Celastraceae
The Celastraceae (staff-vine or bittersweet) are a family of 97 genera and 1,350 species of herbs, vines, shrubs and small trees, belonging to the order Celastrales. The great majority of the genera are tropical, with only ''Celastrus'' (the s ...
, native to South Africa, Eswatini and Mozambique. Endophytic bacteria in their roots produce
maytansine
Maitansine (INN), or maytansine (USAN), is a cytotoxic agent. It inhibits the assembly of microtubules by binding to tubulin at the rhizoxin binding site.
It is a macrolide of the ansamycin type and can be isolated from plants of the genus ''May ...
.
Species
Currently accepted species include:
*''
Putterlickia neglecta
''Putterlickia'', variously called spikethorns, false spike thorns, mock spike thorns and bastard spike thorns, are a genus of flowering plants in the staff vine and bittersweet family Celastraceae, native to South Africa, Eswatini and Mozambique ...
''
Jordaan, R.G.C.Boon & A.E.van Wyk
*''
Putterlickia pyracantha
''Putterlickia'', variously called spikethorns, false spike thorns, mock spike thorns and bastard spike thorns, are a genus of flowering plants in the staff vine and bittersweet family Celastraceae, native to South Africa, Eswatini and Mozambique ...
''
(L.) Szyszyl.
*''
Putterlickia retrospinosa
''Putterlickia'', variously called spikethorns, false spike thorns, mock spike thorns and bastard spike thorns, are a genus of flowering plants in the staff vine and bittersweet family Celastraceae, native to South Africa, Eswatini and Mozambique ...
''
A.E.van Wyk & Mostert
*''
Putterlickia saxatilis''
(Burch.) Jordaan
*''
Putterlickia verrucosa''
(E.Mey. ex Harv. & Sond.) Sim
References
{{Taxonbar, from=Q9064908
Celastraceae