Ramosmania
{{Short description|Genus of plants}}
{{Automatic Taxobox
| image = Ramosmania rodriguesii-IMG 7087.jpg
| image_caption = Ramosmania rodriguesi in cultivation at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
| taxon = Ramosmania
| authority = Tirveng. & Verdc.
| subdivision_ranks = Species
| subdivision =
Ramosmania heterophylla {{au|(Balf.f.) Tirveng. & Verdc.}}
Ramosmania rodriguesi {{au|Tirveng.}}
|range_map = LocationRodrigues.PNG
|range_map_caption = Ramosmania is endemic to Rodrigues, Mauritius
}}
Ramosmania is a genus of two species of small trees in the family Rubiaceae; one is extinct.{{cite web |url=http://www.kew.org/plants-fungi/Ramosmania-rodriguesii.htm |title=Ramosmania rodriguesii (café marron)
|last1= |first1= |last2= |first2= |date= |website= |publisher=Kew |accessdate=11 February 2014}} Both species are endemic to the island of Rodrigues, Mauritius.
Species
The genus comprises two species:
- Ramosmania rodriguesi {{au|Tirveng.}}
- †Ramosmania heterophylla {{au|(Balf.f.) Tirveng. & Verdc.}} (extinct)
Cytology
The diploid chromosome count of Ramosmania rodriguesi is 2n = 22.Kiehn, M., & Berger, A. (2023). [https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/njb.03732 "New chromosome counts on Rubiaceae from Africa and the Western Indian Ocean islands."] Nordic Journal of Botany, e03732.
Conservation
The only remaining species, Ramosmania rodriguesi, was re-discovered by a schoolboy in 1979.Smith, P. (2023, June 1). The loneliest tree in the world. Botanic Gardens Conservation International. Retrieved June 30, 2023, from https://www.bgci.org/news-events/the-loneliest-tree-in-the-world/ After its rediscovery, the local population repeatedly cut off branches of the only remaining tree. To prevent its extinction, cuttings were sent to the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Vegetative propagation was successful, however generative reproduction was not possible, as only functionally male flowers were formed. Later, it was discovered that heat stress could induce the formation of female flowers, which were then successfully pollinated.Seynsche, M. (2009, August 5). Kaffee mit Todessehnsucht. Deutschlandfunk. Retrieved June 30, 2023, from https://www.deutschlandfunk.de/kaffee-mit-todessehnsucht-100.html Cultivated plants have been reintroduced to Rodrigues, but it is still classified as Critically Endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources.World Conservation Monitoring Centre. 1998. Ramosmania rodriguesii. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 1998: e.T33659A9801264. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.1998.RLTS.T33659A9801264.en. Accessed on 30 June 2023.
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{Wikispecies-inline}}
- {{Commons category-inline}}
{{Taxonbar|from=Q10357365}}
Category:Endemic flora of Mauritius
Category:Endemic flora of Rodrigues
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