Full name and orig. publication: Gloxiniopsis Roalson & Boggan, Selbyana 25(2): 228 (19 Dec. 2005).
Etymology: Composed of the generic name Gloxinia and the Greek suffix -όψις, -opsis = looking like, similar to.
Synonyms: -
Infrafamilial position: Gesnerioid Gesneriaceae (Gesnerioideae) - Gloxinieae.
Description: Terrestrial perennial herbs with scaly rhizomes. Stem erect. Leaves opposite, ± isophyllous, with 5-9(-14) pairs of veins. Flowers solitary, emerging from the axils of opposite or alternate bracts, forming together a terminal, indeterminate raceme; pedicels ebracteolate. Sepals free. Corolla white, campanulate, limb of subequal lobes, lower lobes toothed. Stamens 4, anthers coherent. Nectary annular , strongly reduced or possibly absent. Ovary inferior; stigma stomatomorphic. Fruit a subglobose fleshy capsule, dehiscing along the dorsal surface and splitting the hypanthium to the base. Seeds numerous, minute, rhombic to ellipsoid.
Chromosome number: Unknown (probably 2n = 26).
Species names (incl. publication and synonyms): See Skog, L.E. & J.K. Boggan. 2005: World checklist of Gesneriaceae: http://persoon.si.edu/Gesneriaceae/Checklist.
Type and only species: Gloxiniopsis racemosa (Benth.) Roalson & Boggan
Distribution: In the Andes of Colombia.
Ecology: Probably as in Gloxinia.
Notes: In habit and flower form G. racemosa is very similar to Gloxinia perennis. However, molecular data suggest that they are not closely related and that G. racemosa merits placement in a distinct genus (Roalson et al. 2005a,b; Boggan 2006) .
Selected references: Roalson, Boggan, Skog, Zimmer, Taxon 54(2): 389-410 (2005a), molec. syst.; Roalson, Boggan, Skog, Selbyana 25(2): 225-238 (2005b), tax.; Boggan, Gesneriads 56 (3): 26-32 (2006), surv.
Bibliography: See Skog, L.E. & J.K. Boggan. 2005. Bibliography of the Gesneriaceae. 2nd edition: http://persoon.si.edu/Gesneriaceae/Bibliography.
Illustrations:
last modified: 2007-04-03