Titanotrichum

Full name and orig. publication: Titanotrichum Soler., Ber. Deutsch. Bot. Ges. 27: 393 (27 Sept. 1909).

Etymology: From the Greek τίτανος, titanos = lime, chalk, and θρίξ, thrix = hair, that means studded with chalk-incrusted hairs.

Synonym: Matsumuria Hemsl. (1909).

Infrafamilial position: Gesnerioid Gesneriaceae (Gesnerioideae) - Titanotricheae, see Notes.

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: Titanotrichum oldhamii Soler.

Distribution: S Japan (incl. Ryukyu Islands), E China (Fujian), Taiwan.

Ecology: Shaded areas in valleys, 100-1200m.

Notes: The genus has been described under Scrophulariaceae, but has been repeatedly regarded to belong to Gesneriaceae. Wang et al. (1990, 1992, 1998) placed it in the latter family in a tribe of its own (Titanotricheae). Morphological, molecular and population genetical studies, based on several accessions from Taiwan, S Japan and mainland China, have been carried out by Wang & Cronk (2003) and Wang et al. (2004a,b). The data suggest that Titanotrichum has to be placed inside Gesneriaceae. It is not related to Old World genera, but has to be included as a tribe of its own in the Gesnerioideae (incl. Coronantheroideae).

Selected references: Wang & Cronk, Amer. J. Bot. 90 (12): 1696-1707 (2003), morph., bulbils; Wang, Möller & Cronk, Ann. Bot. 93: 201-209 (2004), popul. genetics; Wang, Möller & Cronk, Syst. Bot. 29: 407-418 (2004). 

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

Illustrations:

Titanotrichum oldhamii (Hemsl.) Soler., only species Cult. BG Vienna, phot. A. Weber (1976)

Titanotrichum oldhamii (Hemsl.) Soler., plant with propagules Cult. BG Vienna, phot. A. Weber (1976)

last modified: 2007-04-03