Canephora

{{Short description|Genus of plants}}

{{about|flowering plants|the bagworm moth genus including e.g. Canephora hirsuta|Canephora (moth)|the ancient Greek honorific|Kanephoros}}

{{automatic taxobox

| display_parents = 2

| image =

| taxon = Canephora

| authority = Juss.

| type_species = Canephora madagascariensis

| type_species_authority = J.F.Gmel.

}}

Canephora is a genus of flowering plants in the family Rubiaceae, indigenous to Madagascar.{{Cite book|url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/7125|title=Antonii Laurentii de Jussieu Genera plantarum :secundum ordines naturales disposita, juxta methodum in Horto regio parisiensi exaratam, anno M.DCC.LXXIV.|first=Antoine Laurent de|last=Jussieu|date=August 8, 1789|publisher=apud viduam Herissant et Theophilum Barrois}}{{cite web|url=http://apps.kew.org/wcsp/qsearch.do?plantName=Canephora|title=Canephora in the World Checklist of Rubiaceae|accessdate=11 June 2014}}

Description

The name Canephora, "basket bearer", refers to both the flattened peduncle topped by a "hollowed apex bearing flowers" and to the ritual office for unmarried young women in ancient Greece, as bearer of a sacred basket full of offerings during processions at festivals.{{cite journal|author=Roccos JL|year=1995|title=The kanephoros and her festival mantle in Greek art|journal=American Journal of Archaeology|volume=99|issue=4|pages=641–666|doi=10.2307/506187|jstor=506187|s2cid=191400219 }}

Canephora is unique in Rubiaceae in having peduncles transformed into flattened, green axes called phylloclades.{{cite journal|author=De Block P, Vrijdaghs A|year=2013|title=Development of reproductive organs in Canephora madagascariensis (Octotropideae - Rubiaceae)|journal=Plant Ecology and Evolution|volume=146|issue=3|pages=310–327|doi=10.5091/plecevo.2013.844|doi-access=free}}

Canephora madagascariensis has bright white, campanulate flowers and apparently edible, red fruits, locally known as "hazongalala".{{cite journal|author=Seligson D|year=1972|title=On collecting herbs in Madagascar|journal=Arnoldia|volume=32|pages=23–29|doi=10.5962/p.389370 |url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/part/389370 }}

Species

Currently, five species are recognized, but several new species await description.

References

{{Reflist}}