Trochetia Parviflora
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''Trochetia'' is a
subgenus In biology, a subgenus ( subgenera) is a taxonomic rank directly below genus. In the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature, a subgeneric name can be used independently or included in a species name, in parentheses, placed between the ge ...
of
flowering plant Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (). The term angiosperm is derived from the Ancient Greek, Greek words (; 'container, vessel') and (; 'seed'), meaning that the seeds are enclosed with ...
s, now placed in the genus '' Ruizia'' and the
family Family (from ) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). It forms the basis for social order. Ideally, families offer predictabili ...
Malvaceae Malvaceae (), or the mallows, is a family of flowering plants estimated to contain 244 genera with 4225 known species. Well-known members of economic importance include Theobroma cacao, cacao, Cola (plant), cola, cotton, okra, Hibiscus sabdariffa, ...
(formerly in the
Sterculiaceae Sterculiaceae was a family of flowering plant based on the genus '' Sterculia''. Genera formerly included in Sterculiaceae are now placed in the family Malvaceae, in the subfamilies: Byttnerioideae, Dombeyoideae, Helicteroideae and Sterculioide ...
, but genera now usually subsumed in the Dombeyoideae and other subfamilies). Species are endemic to 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 ...
. The original genus was first described by A.P. de Candolle in 1823, who named it in honour of French botanist
Henri Dutrochet René Joachim Henri Dutrochet (14 November 1776 – 4 February 1847) was a French physician, botanist and physiologist. He is best known for his investigation into osmosis. Early career Dutrochet was born on Néons-sur-Creuse, Néons to a noble f ...
.


Description and ecology

The genus ''Trochetia'' consists of scrubs or small trees, which can reach a height from two to eight metres. The hermaphroditic flowers are either white (''T. triflora''), pink (''T. parviflora''), or reddish orange (''T. boutoniana''). They are either single-standing, or grow in a cluster of three flowers. Some species have bell-shaped petals. All plants of this genus are imperiled due to the competition of invasive species, like the
guava Guava ( ), also known as the 'guava-pear', is a common tropical fruit cultivated in many tropical and subtropical regions. The common guava '' Psidium guajava'' (lemon guava, apple guava) is a small tree in the myrtle family (Myrtaceae), nativ ...
s from China but also by destruction caused by introduced monkeys and rats. Five species occur on Mauritius and one on La Reunion. The habitat consists of humid forests with a high annual rainfall or mountainous slopes which are directed windwards.


Pollination

Plants from the genus ''Trochetia'' belong to the few plants worldwide that can produce coloured
nectar Nectar is a viscous, sugar-rich liquid produced by Plant, plants in glands called nectaries, either within the flowers with which it attracts pollination, pollinating animals, or by extrafloral nectaries, which provide a nutrient source to an ...
. Some scientists, like the Danish ecologist Jens Olesen assume that this could be linked to bird species which have
pollinated Pollination is the transfer of pollen from an anther of a plant to the stigma of a plant, later enabling fertilisation and the production of seeds. Pollinating agents can be animals such as insects, for example bees, beetles or butterflies; bird ...
this plants in the past and are extinct today. However, recent research has demonstrated that not only do endemic ''Phelsuma'' geckos pollinate some of the species, but that they actually prefer coloured over clear nectar. Hence, the 'mystery of the Mauritian coloured nectar' can be considered at least partly solved now. Whether the nectar-feeding birds in Mauritius also react to the coloured nectar as a signal for floral reward remains to be seen.Hansen ''et al.'' (2006) The main pollinators of today are the Mauritius olive white-eye (''Zosterops chloronothos'') and the Mauritius grey white-eye (''Zosterops mauritianus''), introduced
honey bee A honey bee (also spelled honeybee) is a eusocial flying insect within the genus ''Apis'' of the bee clade, all native to mainland Afro-Eurasia. After bees spread naturally throughout Africa and Eurasia, humans became responsible for the ...
s, or geckos from the genus ''
Phelsuma ''Phelsuma'' is a large genus of geckos in the Family (biology), family Gekkonidae. Species in the genus ''Phelsuma'' are commonly referred to as day geckos. Some day geckos are seriously endangered and some are common, but all ''Phelsuma'' spec ...
''. Recent research has shown that in the absence of the locally extinct Mauritius olive white-eye, ''Trochetia blackburnianas main pollinator in the area of Le Pétrin is the blue-tailed day gecko (''Phelsuma cepediana''). the pollination efficiency of these geckos depend on the proximity to dense patches of ''
Pandanus ''Pandanus'' is a genus of monocots with about 578 accepted species. They are palm-like, dioecious trees and shrubs native to the Old World tropics and subtropics. Common names include pandan, screw palm and screw pine. The genus is classified ...
'', which are a favourite microhabitat for the geckos - possibly because the spiky leaves of ''Pandanus'' protect them from their main predator, the Mauritius kestrel (''Falco punctatus'').


Species

Some authorities have classified much more species but these are either in doubt or synonyms of other plants. The similar
Atlantic The Atlantic Ocean is the second largest of the world's five oceanic divisions, with an area of about . It covers approximately 17% of Earth's surface and about 24% of its water surface area. During the Age of Discovery, it was known for se ...
genus '' Trochetiopsis'' was until 1981 included herein but actually '' Helmiopsis'' might be a closer relative of ''Trochetia'' (as is also suggested by
biogeography Biogeography is the study of the species distribution, distribution of species and ecosystems in geography, geographic space and through evolutionary history of life, geological time. Organisms and biological community (ecology), communities o ...
).Cao et al.'' (2006) The formerly recognized species ''Trochetia richardii'' was reclassified as '' Helmiopsis richardii''. ''Trochetia thouarsii'' was first synonymized with ''Trochetia pentaglossa'' and later reclassified as '' Nesogordonia thouarsii''. Both plants are from Madagascar. The following species were accepted: * '' Trochetia parviflora'' - an extremely rare tree (with about 63 individuals). Discovered in 1794. Thought to be extinct in 1863 and rediscovered on the slopes of Corps de Garde, Mauritius in 2001 by a team from the Mauritius herbarium. * '' Trochetia boutoniana'' (native name: Boucle d'Oreille (in English: Earring tree) because of its bell-shaped look) is the national flower of Mauritius since 1992. It was named after French botanist Louis Bouton. The only occurrence are the slopes of
Le Morne Brabant Le Morne Brabant is a peninsula at the extreme southwestern tip of the Indian Ocean island of Mauritius. On it is a basaltic monolith of the same name 556 metres (1,824 ft) high. Its summit covers an area of over . There are many caves and overha ...
,
Mauritius Mauritius, officially the Republic of Mauritius, is an island country in the Indian Ocean, about off the southeastern coast of East Africa, east of Madagascar. It includes the main island (also called Mauritius), as well as Rodrigues, Ag ...
. The flowering time is from June to October. * '' Trochetia uniflora'' - Occurrence: Trois Mamelles, Le Pouce, and Letard Mountains in the west of Mauritius. Flowering time: May to June * '' Trochetia triflora'' - Occurrence: Trou aux Cerfs in the central,
Grand Bassin The Grand Bassin is the largest body of open water along the Canal du Midi. It is in Castelnaudary, France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions a ...
, Piton Savanne, and Little Black River peak in the south-west of Mauritius. Flowering time: April to July * '' Trochetia blackburniana'' - Occurrence: several places on Mauritius, most common species of the genus. Flowering time: April to May * '' Trochetia granulata'' - Occurrence:
Réunion Réunion (; ; ; known as before 1848) is an island in the Indian Ocean that is an overseas departments and regions of France, overseas department and region of France. Part of the Mascarene Islands, it is located approximately east of the isl ...


Footnotes


References

* (1877): ''Flora of Mauritius and the Seychelles: A Description of the Flowering Plants''. Asian Educational Services. (1999 reprint) * (2006): Does minimizing homoplasy really maximize homology? MaHo: A method for evaluating homology among most parsimonious trees. '' C. R. Palevol'' 7(1): 17–26. (HTML abstract) * (1987): 53. Sterculiacées. ''In:'' : ''Flore des Mascareignes'': 1-50. The Sugar Industry Research Institute, Réduit, Mauritius. * (2006): Mauritian coloured nectar no longer a mystery: a visual signal for lizard pollinators. '' Biol. Lett.'' 2(2): 165–168. PDF fulltextSupplemental Material
* (1981): ''Trochetiopsis'' (Sterculiaceae), a new genus from St Helena. ''Kew Bulletin'' 36(3): 645–646
HTML abstract
* (1998): Mauritian red nectar remains a mystery. ''
Nature Nature is an inherent character or constitution, particularly of the Ecosphere (planetary), ecosphere or the universe as a whole. In this general sense nature refers to the Scientific law, laws, elements and phenomenon, phenomena of the physic ...
'' 393(6685): 529. PDF fulltext


External links


Conservation ecology and evolution of reproductive systems in the island endemic plants of the genus Trochetia (engl.)Partial Synonymy of Trochetia
{{Taxonbar, from=Q138696 Flora of Mauritius Plant subgenera Critically endangered flora of Africa Endemic flora of the Mascarene Islands