Full name and orig. publication: Paradrymonia Hanst., Linnaea 26: 180, 207 (April 1854, "1853").
Etymology: From the Greek παρα, para = beside, alongside, close by, near, and the generic name Drymonia.
Synonyms: Trichodrymonia Oerst. (1858), Episcia Mart. sect. Paradrymonia (Hanst.) Leeuwenb. (1958).
Infrafamilial position: Gesnerioid Gesneriaceae (Gesnerioideae) - Episcieae.
Description: Epiphytic suffrutescent subshrubs or vines, terrestrial herbs or subshrubs, mostly of the form of tank bromeliads. Stems erect, ascending, or scrambling, often succulent. Leaves iso- to strongly anisophyllous (sometimes in a single colony of a species), often (in the terrestrial species) crowded and forming a rosette, usually large and surpassing the short stem, usually lanceolate, membranous to fleshy. Inflorescences axillary, usually congested, many-flowered cymes, rarely exceeding the length of the petiole, flowers often in a compact cluster at the ground or hidden by the leaves. Sepals free, linear or lanceolate. Corolla white or yellow with red or purple spots or lines, funnelform or trumpet-shaped, spurred at the base. Stamens 4, included; anthers coherent; dehiscing by a longitudinal slit. Nectary of 1 or 2 glands. Ovary superior. Fruit a bivalved capsule.
Chromosome number: 2n = 18.
Species number: Over 70.
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 species: Paradrymonia glabra (Benth.) Hanst. = P. ciliosa (Mart.) Wiehler
Distribution: Throughout the neotropics except SE Brasil, the centre of diversity is Colombia.
Ecology: Growing epiphytically or as a terrestrial on damp rocks in forests.
Notes: Pollination is probably by euglossine bees, in some species presumably by hummingbirds.
Selected references: Wiehler, Selbyana 5: 45-59 (1978), emend. & rev.; Skog, Ann. Missouri Bot. Gard. 65: 964-973 (1979), reg. rev. (Panama); Chautems in Ribeiro et al., Fl. Res. Ducke (1999), reg. rev.; Feuillet & Steyermark, Fl. Venezuel. Guayana 5 (1999), reg. rev.; Skog, Monogr. Syst. Bot. Missouri Bot. Gard. 85: 1114-1128 (2001), reg. rev. (Nicaragua).
Bibliography: See Skog, L.E. & J.K. Boggan. 2005. Bibliography of the Gesneriaceae. 2nd edition: http://persoon.si.edu/Gesneriaceae/Bibliography.
Illustrations:
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Paradrymonia ciliosa (Mart.) Wiehler [= P. glabra (Benth.) Hanst., type]
Left: Bot. Mag. t. 4552 (1850), as P. glabra |
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Paradrymonia gigantea
Wiehler Cult. Marie Selby BG, phot. A. Weber (1982) |
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Paradrymonia hypocyrta Wiehler
Left and right: cult. BG Vienna, phot. A. Weber (1987) |
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Paradrymonia hypocyrta Wiehler
Cult AGGS show, phot. A. Chautems |
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Paradrymonia pedunculata L.E.Skog
Cult. Gesneriad Research Foundation (GRF), Sarasota, FL, as Rhoogeton panamensis Wiehler, phot. A. Weber (1982) |
last modified: 2007-07-05