Re: Paullina sp.? (help?)
- To: Tony & Moira Ryan
- Subject: Re: Paullina sp.? (help?)
- From: r*
- Date: Mon, 6 Dec 1999 10:39:52 -0800 (PST)
Maybe the birds?
On Mon, 6 Dec 1999, Tony & Moira Ryan wrote:
> Date: Mon, 06 Dec 1999 11:34:34 +1300
> From: Tony & Moira Ryan <theryans@xtra.co.nz>
> To: Mediterannean Plants List <medit-plants@ucdavis.edu>
> Subject: Re: Paullina sp.? (help?)
>
> Deborah Lindsay wrote:
> >
> > Interesting parallel Charles. I suspect it is another example of the Gondwana
> > theory at work again... But why only one sp
> > of each in Western Africa and not more???
> >
> > Deborah Lindsay
> > Oakland, California
> > mild wet winters, mild dry summers
> >
> > ____________________Reply Separator____________________
> > Subject: Re: Paullina sp.? (help?)
> > Author: cdills@fix.net
> > Date: 12/1/99 5:00 PM
> >
> > >Quoting from an old book: "The Treasury of Botany" 1876 [abridged]
> >
> > >With the exception of 1 West African sp, the whole of this large genus
> > >of Sapindaceae, about 80 species, comes from the tropical regions of
> > >the Western hemisphere.. Nearly all are climbing shrubs with tendrils,
> > >divided compound leaves and racemes of white flowers with two opposite
> > >tendrils below them
> > +++++-------------
> > What's going on here?
> >
> > I collect bromeliads. There are around 3000 known species.
> > ALL BUT ONE OF THEM IS IN THE WESTERN HEMISPHERE. THE LONE EXCEPTION
> > OCCURS IN WEST AFRICA.
>
> This is paralled by Cactaceae - all genera except Rhipsalis are Western
> Hemisphere plants. However my best available authority the Oxford
> Flowering Plants of the World, describes Rhipsalis in Africa as
> "doubtfully native or early naturalized".
>
> Mind you, I can't really imagine why anybody interested in cacti should
> have picked just Rhipsalis to transport from America to Africa, as it is
> a pretty dull and unexciting plant with distinctly undistinguished
> white flowers!!!
>
> Moira
>
>
> --
> Tony & Moira Ryan <theryans@xtra.co.nz>
> Wainuiomata, New Zealand. (on the "Ring of Fire" in the SW Pacific).
> Lat. 41:16S Long. 174:58E. Climate: Mediterranean/Temperate
>
>
