R. Myhr, The Gesneriaceae Reference Web, phot. R. Dunn
= Columnea sect. Pentadenia (Planch.) Benth. (see Kvist & Skog 1993).
Full name and orig. publication: >Pentadenia (Planch.) Hanst., Linnaea 26: 187, 211 (April 1854, "1853").
Etymology: From the Greek πεντε, pente = five, and άδην, adēn = gland, alluding to the five nectar glands surrounding the ovary.
Synonyms: Columnea L. subg. Pentadenia Planch. (1865), Columnea L. sect. Pentadenia (Planch.) Benth. (1876), Stygnanthe Hanst. (1854), Columnea L. sect., Stygnanthe (Hanst.) Benth. (1876), Flueckigeria Rusby (1894) - non Kuntze (1891). Kohlerianthus Fritsch (1897).
Infrafamilial position: Gesnerioid Gesneriaceae (Gesnerioideae) - Episcieae.
Description: Epiphytic subshrubs, lianas or thin-stemmed trailers. Stem erect, ascending, scrambling, or pendent. Leaves opposite, (sub)equal. Corolla tubular, limb subregular with small subequal lobes; or corolla tube slightly (rarely strongly) inflated, and the limb bilabiate, rarely with the upper lobes fused into a galea. Nectary of five separate glands, the two dorsal ones sometimes connate, or reduced to the dorsal pair (variable even within a single individual; Smith 1991). Fruit a globose or subglobose white or lavender berry.
Chromosome number: 2n = 18.
Species number: Over 35.
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: Pentadenia aurantiaca (Decne. ex Planch.) Hanst. = Pentadenia strigosa (Benth.) Hanst.
Distribution: From Bolivia along the Western Cordillera to Mexico (centre of diversity: Ecuador), one species in the coastal range of Venezuela.
Ecology: Similar as in Columnea.
Notes: The genus is distinguished from the other columneoid genera, as well from all other members of Episcieae, by the five separate nectary glands, of which the two dorsal ones are sometimes connate. The pollen grains are oblate spheroidal with a well-differentiated area around the colpi.
Selected references: Wiehler, Phytologia 27: 314 (1973), emend. & rev.; Kvist & Skog, Allertonia 6: 327-400 (1993), reg. rev. (Ecuador).
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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Pentadenia strigosa (Benth.) Hanst. [= P. aurantiaca (Decne.
ex Planch.) Hanst., type] = Columnea strigosa Benth.
R. Myhr, The Gesneriaceae Reference Web, phot. R. Dunn |
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Pentadenia orientandina Wiehler = Columnea orientandina (Wiehler)
L.P.Kvist & L.E.Skog
R. Myhr, The Gesneriaceae Reference Web, phot. R. Myhr |
last modified: 2007-01-05