Spelaeanthus

Etymology: From the σπηλαιον, spēlaion = cave, and ανθος, anthos = flower; “flower of the cave”.

Synonyms: -

Infrafamilial position: Didymocarpoid Gesneriaceae - "Advanced Asiatic and Malesian genera" (Weber 2004).

Description: Small saxicolous herbs. Stem thin, to 10 cm long, ascending, with long sticky hairs. Leaves opposite, those of a pair subequal, loosely tufted, petiolate, lamina ovate, margin serrate with blunt teeth, grey-green, with sticky hairs. Cymes with slender peduncle and few to many flower pairs. Sepals free to base. Corolla small, pure white, shaped like a shallow bowl, limb bilabiate, with rounded lobes, mouth wide open. Stamens 2, enclosed within the corolla. Ovary conical. Nectary absent. Capsule straight to slightly twisted, thin-walled. Seeds with reticulate testa.

Chromosome number: 2n = 16.

Type and only species: Spelaeanthus chinii R.Kiew, A.Weber & B.L.Burtt

Species names (incl. publication and synonyms): See Skog, L.E. & J.K. Boggan. 2005: World checklist of Gesneriaceae: http://persoon.si.edu/Gesneriaceae/Checklist.

Distribution: Malay Peninsula (Pahang), Batu Luas. 

Ecology: On damp rock faces, esp. at the entrance of limestone caves.

Notes: The genus is superficially similar to Emarhendia and Senyumia, all growing in and around limestone caves in Peninsular Malaysia.

Bibliography: See Skog, L.E. & J.K. Boggan. 2005. Bibliography of the Gesneriaceae. 2^nd edition: http://persoon.si.edu/Gesneriaceae/Bibliography.

Illustrations:

Spelaeanthus chinii R. Kiew, A. Weber & B.L. Burtt Penins. Malaysia, Pahang, Gua Luas, phot. A. Weber (1986)

Spelaeanthus chinii R. Kiew, A. Weber & B.L. Burtt Kiew et al., Beitr. Biol. Pflanzen 70: 394, fig. 8 (1998)

last modified: 2008-02-26