Balanophora
Balanophora is a genus of parasitic flowering plants in the family Balanophoraceae distributed from tropical Africa and Madagascar, through South and Southeast Asia, Japan, Queensland and the islands of the western Pacific. There are over 20 accepted species. Many species emit an odour which possibly attracts pollinators in the same way that pollinators are attracted to Rafflesia. The tiny flowers produce some of the smallest seeds known, weighing as little as 7 micrograms each.
Species
GENUS
- KingdomPlantae
- PhylumTracheophyta
- ClassMagnoliopsida
- OrderSantalales
- FamilyBalanophoraceae
Native toAssam, Borneo, Cambodia, Caroline Is., China North-Central, China South-Central, China Southeast, Christmas I., Comoros, Congo, Cook Is., East Himalaya
via GBIF · Kew POWO
Article
5 sectionsContents
- Taxonomy
- Species
- Ecology
- Use
- References
Balanophora is a genus of parasitic flowering plants in the family Balanophoraceae distributed from tropical Africa and Madagascar, through South and Southeast Asia, Japan, Queensland and the islands of the western Pacific. There are over 20 accepted species. Many species emit an odour which possibly attracts pollinators in the same way that pollinators are attracted to Rafflesia. The tiny flowers produce some of the smallest seeds known, weighing as little as 7 micrograms each.
==Taxonomy== The genus was first described in 1775 by Johann Reinhold Forster and his son Georg Forster in Characteres Generum Plantarum. The name is derived from the ancient Greek words (), meaning "acorn" and (), meaning "to carry".