Abuta

For other uses, see Abuta (disambiguation).

Abuta
Abuta selloana: Illustrations A-F from A. Engler, Das Pflanzenreich 46
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Order:	Ranunculales
Family:	Menispermaceae
Genus:	Abuta Aubl.
Species
See text

Abuta is a genus in the flowering plant family Menispermaceae, of about 32 species, native to tropical Central and South America.

Description

It consists in dioecious climbers or rarely erect trees or shrubs (Abuta concolor) with simple leaves. Flowers in composed panicles. Male flowers: sepals 6, in 2 whorls, petals absent, stamens 6, connate or free, introrse, anthers with a longitudinal or transverse dehiscence. Female flowers: sepals and petals as in male, staminodes 6, carpels 3, drupes ovoid, endocarp woody, condyle septiform, endosperm ruminate, embryo curved, cotyledons appressed. It inhabits tropical rain forests.

Taxonomy

Abuta is usually classified in the tribe Anomospermeae Miers, together with Anomospermum Miers.

Synonymy

The genera Anelasma Miers and Batschia Thunb. have been brought into synonymy with Abuta.

Uses

Abuta is one of the components of the arrow poison curare of some indigenous tribes of South America (especially Abuta imene from Colombia). Roots of Abuta rufescens are used as medicinal in diseases of the urogenital tract, but it is dangerous.[1]

Species

Species accepted by Plants of the World Online as of March 2024:[2]

• Abuta acutifolia Miers
• Abuta alto-macahensis Feliz & J.M.A.Braga
• Abuta antioquiana Krukoff & Barneby
• Abuta aristeguietae Kurkoff & Barneby
• Abuta barbata Miers
• Abuta brevifolia Krukoff & Moldenke
• Abuta bullata Moldenke
• Abuta candollei Triana & Planch.
• Abuta chiapasensis Krukoff & Barneby
• Abuta chocoensis Krukoff & Barneby
• Abuta colombiana Moldenke
• Abuta dwyeriana Krukoff & Barneby
• Abuta fluminum Krukoff & Barneby
• Abuta grandifolia (Mart.) Sandwith
• Abuta grisebachii Triana & Planch.
• Abuta imene (Mart.) Eichler
• Abuta longa Krukoff & Barneby
• Abuta mycetandra Krukoff & Barneby
• Abuta obovata Diels
• Abuta pahni (Mart.) Krukoff & Barneby
• Abuta panamensis (Standl.) Krukoff & Barneby
• Abuta panurensis Eichler
• Abuta platyphylla Mart. ex Eichler
• Abuta racemosa Triana & Planch.
• Abuta rufescens Aubl.
• Abuta sandwithiana Krukoff & Barneby
• Abuta seemannii Triana & Planch.
• Abuta selloana Eichler
• Abuta solimoesensis Krukoff & Barneby
• Abuta soukupii Moldenke
• Abuta spicata (Thunb.) Triana & Planch.
• Abuta steyermarkii (Standl.) Standl.
• Abuta vaupesensis Krukoff & Barneby
• Abuta velutina Gleason

References

1. Mabberley, D. J. (1997). The Plant-Book (2nd ed.). Cambridge, U.K.: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0-521-41421-0. LCCN 96030091.
2. "Abuta Aubl". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 5 March 2024.

Further reading

• Diels, L. (1910). "Menispermaceae". In Engler, A. (ed.). Das Pflanzenreich (in Latin and German). Vol. IV.94 (Fasc. 46). Leipzig (Germany): Engelmann. [monographic revision of the genus]
• Barneby, R. C.; Krukoff, B. A. (1971). "Supplementary Notes on American Menispermaceae VIII. A Generic Survey of the American Triclisieae and Anomospermeae". Memoirs of the New York Botanical Garden. 22 (2): 30–52. ISBN 978-0-89327-075-9. [taxonomic partial revision]
• Kessler, P. J. A. (1993). Kubitzki, K. (ed.). Flowering plants, dicotyledons : magnoliid, hamamelid, and caryophyllid families. The Families and Genera of Vascular Plants. Vol. 2. Berlin: Springer-Verlag. ISBN 3-540-55509-9. LCCN 93019190.

External links

• Images of Abuta panamensis from La Flora Digital de La Selva, Costa Rica