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Pentaphragma

Pentaphragma is a genus of flowering plants. Pentaphragma is the sole genus in Pentaphragmataceae, a family in the order Asterales. These species are fleshy herbs, with asymmetrical leaf blades. They are found in Southeast Asia. Pentaphragma is rayless, but eventually develops rays in at least one of the species studied. This is interpreted as related to secondary woodiness or upright habit within a predominantly herbaceous phylad. The vessel elements of Pentaphragma have features universally interpreted as primitive in dicotyledons: scalariform perforation plates with numerous bars; pit membrane remnants in perforations; scalariform lateral wall pitting; the genus also has fiber-tracheids with prominently bordered pits. The presence of occasional scalariform perforation plates, often aberrant, in secondary xylem of families of Asterales sensu lato - Campanulaceae, Pentaphragmataceae, Valerianaceae, and even Asteraceae - can be attributed to paedomorphosis, extending these plates into secondary xylem from primary xylem. Raylessness in Pentaphragma can be described in terms of secondary woodiness or paedomorphosis. The fact that fiber-tracheids are shorter than vessel elements in Pentaphragma is believed related to raylessness also, because some fiber-tracheids are produced from 'potential' ray areas.

Last revised
Jul 1, 2026
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Pentaphragma
Pentaphragma begoniaefolium
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Embryophytes
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Spermatophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Asterales
Family: Pentaphragmataceae
J.Agardh1
Genus: Pentaphragma
Wall. ex G.Don
Species

See text

Synonyms2

Francfleurya A.Chev. & Gagnep.

Pentaphragma is a genus of flowering plants. Pentaphragma is the sole genus in Pentaphragmataceae, a family in the order Asterales. These species are fleshy herbs, with asymmetrical leaf blades. They are found in Southeast Asia. Pentaphragma is rayless, but eventually develops rays in at least one of the species studied. This is interpreted as related to secondary woodiness or upright habit within a predominantly herbaceous phylad. The vessel elements of Pentaphragma have features universally interpreted as primitive in dicotyledons: scalariform perforation plates with numerous bars; pit membrane remnants in perforations; scalariform lateral wall pitting; the genus also has fiber-tracheids with prominently bordered pits. The presence of occasional scalariform perforation plates, often aberrant, in secondary xylem of families of Asterales sensu lato - Campanulaceae, Pentaphragmataceae, Valerianaceae, and even Asteraceae (e.g., certain Lactuceae) - can be attributed to paedomorphosis, extending these plates into secondary xylem from primary xylem. Raylessness in Pentaphragma can be described in terms of secondary woodiness or paedomorphosis. The fact that fiber-tracheids are shorter than vessel elements in Pentaphragma is believed related to raylessness also, because some fiber-tracheids are produced from 'potential' ray areas.3

Species

Thirty-two species are accepted as of June 2026.4

  • Pentaphragma acuminatum
  • Pentaphragma albiflorum
  • Pentaphragma aurantiacum
  • Pentaphragma bartlettii
  • Pentaphragma begoniifolium
  • Pentaphragma bicolor5
  • Pentaphragma combretiflorum
  • Pentaphragma cyrtandriforme
  • Pentaphragma decurrens
  • Pentaphragma ellipticum
  • Pentaphragma gamopetalum
  • Pentaphragma grandiflorum
  • Pentaphragma honbaense
  • Pentaphragma horsfieldii
  • Pentaphragma insigne
  • Pentaphragma jaheri
  • Pentaphragma lambirense6
  • Pentaphragma lanuginosum
  • Pentaphragma longisepalum56
  • Pentaphragma mindanaense
  • Pentaphragma narathiwatense
  • Pentaphragma paucinerve
  • Pentaphragma pendulum
  • Pentaphragma platyphyllum
  • Pentaphragma poilanei
  • Pentaphragma prostratum56
  • Pentaphragma sinense
  • Pentaphragma spatulisepalum
  • Pentaphragma spicatum
  • Pentaphragma tenuiflorum
  • Pentaphragma tetrapetalum
  • Pentaphragma viride
References

References

  1. Angiosperm Phylogeny Group (2009). "An update of the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group classification for the orders and families of flowering plants: APG III" (PDF). Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society. 161 (2): 105–121. doi:10.1111/j.1095-8339.2009.00996.x. hdl:10654/18083. Retrieved 2013-07-06.
  2. "Pentaphragma Wall. ex A.DC". Plants of the World Online. Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. 2017. Retrieved 8 August 2020.
  3. Carlquist, Sherwin (1997-01-01). "Pentaphragma: A Unique Wood and its Significance". IAWA Journal. 18 (1): 3–12. doi:10.1163/22941932-90001453. ISSN 2294-1932.
  4. "Pentaphragma". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 2026-06-08.
  5. Lin, Che-Wei (14 November 2016). "Two new species of Pentaphragma (Pentaphragmataceae) from Sarawak, Borneo". Taiwania. 61 (4): 355–361. doi:10.6165/tai.2016.61.355. Archived from the original on November 10, 2018. Alt URL
  6. Kiew, Ruth (1990). "Three New Species of Pentaphragma from Borneo". Kew Bulletin. 45 (3): 545–554. Bibcode:1990KewBu..45..545K. doi:10.2307/4110517. JSTOR 4110517.
External links