Brachylaena

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Brachylaena
Brachylaena discolor tree - South Africa.jpg
Brachylaena discolor
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Plantae
(unranked):
Angiosperms
(unranked):
(unranked):
Order:
Family:
Subfamily:
Mutisioideae
Tribe:
Mutisieae
Genus:
Brachylaena

Synonyms[1]
  • Oligocarpha Cass.

Brachylaena is a genus of flowering plants in the aster family, Asteraceae. Several are endemic to Madagascar, and the others are distributed in mainland Africa, especially the southern regions.[2]

These are trees and shrubs with alternately arranged leaves. They are dioecious, with male and female flowers occurring on separate individuals. The flower heads are somewhat disc-shaped. Heads with female flowers are larger and produce larger pappi.[3]

B. huillensis is the only widespread species,[2] growing as a dominant tree in Brachylaena woodlands and a common species in some eastern African forests. It provides critical habitat for many animal species. It is also sought after for its wood and has been overexploited.[4]

Species[1]

References[]

  1. ^ a b Flann, C (ed) 2009+ Global Compositae Checklist
  2. ^ a b Beentje, H. J. (2000). The genus Brachylaena (Compositae: Mutisieae). Kew Bulletin 55(1), 1-41.
  3. ^ Hyde, M. A., et al. (2013). Brachylaena. Flora of Zimbabwe.
  4. ^ Cordeiro, N. J. and M. Githiru. (2000). Conservation evaluation for birds of Brachylaena woodland and mixed dry forest in north-east Tanzania. Bird Conservation International 10(1), 47-65.


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