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Tacca

{{Short description|Genus of flowering plants}}

{{About|the plant genus|other uses|Tacca (disambiguation)}}

{{Italic title}}

{{Automatic taxobox

|name = Bat flowers

|image = White bat flower.jpg

|image_caption = White Bat Flower (Tacca integrifolia)

|taxon = Tacca

|authority = J.R.Forst. & G.Forst.

|synonyms =

  • Leontopetaloides Boehm
  • Ataccia C.Presl
  • Chaitaea Sol. ex Seem.
  • Schizocapsa Hance

|synonyms_ref = {{cite web|url=https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:38964-1 |title= Tacca J.R.Forst. & G.Forst |date=2023 |website=Plants of the World Online |publisher= Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew |access-date=15 March 2023 }}

}}

The genus Tacca, which includes the batflowers and arrowroot, consists of flowering plants in the order Dioscoreales, native to tropical regions of South America, Africa, Australia, Southeast Asia, and various Oceanic islands. In older texts, the genus was treated in its own family Taccaceae, but the 2003 APG II system incorporates it into the family Dioscoreaceae.Caddick, L. R., P. Wilkin, P. J. Rudall, T. A. J. Hedderson & M. W. Chase. 2002. Yams reclassified: a recircumscription of Dioscoreaceae and Dioscoreales. Taxon 51(1): 103–114. The APG III and APG IV systems continue to include Tacca in Dioscoreaceae.

Description

Many Tacca species have nearly black flowers, with conspicuous involucral bracts and bracteoles like whiskers.{{Cite Q|Q39626349}}cite Q Engbert Drenth hypothesized that species of this genus attracted "carrion and dung flies" for pollination and that the fleshy seam of the seed might be attractive to ants and hence that ants might aid in seed dispersal.{{Cite Q|Q96027961}}

Taxonomy

Earlier classifications placed the genus within the monogeneric family Taccaceae, which in turn was the sole family in the order Taccales. Dahlgren recognised the similarities to the genera within the Dioscoreales, and incorporated the family into that order.{{sfn|Dahlgren|Clifford|1982}}

= Subdivision =

There are at least 16 species,[http://www.catalogueoflife.org/annual-checklist/2017/browse/tree/id/8c91d06e7094579cfb8fea9f8f4b97b0 Catalogue of Life: 2017 Annual Checklist Tacca]

: Synonyms:

  • Tacca lanceolata Spruce - Brazil, Venezuela = Tacca parkeri Seem.[http://www.catalogueoflife.org/annual-checklist/2017/details/species/id/24bb97b8eedf12a35bfff432ab11a23a/synonym/c17799acd941bd393e1e7c04ce9c7e82 Catalogue (2017)][http://www.tropicos.org/Name/31000014 Tropicos]

Cultivation

Several species are cultivated as ornamental plants for their bold foliage and large flowers. The well-known T. chantrieri goes by the names of black batflower, bat-head lily, devil flower or cat's whiskers. Tacca integrifolia is known as the purple or white batflower. Other cultivated varieties include the arrowroot, T. leontopetaloides, and T. cristata aspera.Govaerts, R., Wilkin, P. & Saunders, R.M.K. (2007). World Checklist of Dioscoreales. Yams and their allies: 1-65. The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.[http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=2&taxon_id=132180 Flora of China, Vol. 24 Page 274, 蒟蒻薯属 ju ruo shu shu, Tacca J. R. Forster & G. Forster, Char. Gen. Pl. 35. 1775. ]

Gallery

File:Tacca chantrieriRHu02.JPG|Black bat flower, Tacca chantrieri, close-up of flower

File:Tacca cristata.jpg|Tacca cristata, flowering

File:Tacca ankaranensis04.JPG|Ankarana arrowroot, Tacca ankaranensis, flower

File:Starr 061106-9596 Tacca leontopetaloides.jpg|Polynesian arrowroot, Tacca leontopetaloides, mature plants

Mirima NP WA Tacca Maculata 1st report in this area (2).jpg|Tacca maculata Mirima National Park

References

{{Reflist|refs=

{{Cite journal|author=Angiosperm Phylogeny Group |year=2009|title=An update of the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group classification for the orders and families of flowering plants: APG III|journal=Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society|volume=161|issue=2|pages=105–121|issn=0024-4074|doi=10.1111/j.1095-8339.2009.00996.x |doi-access=free|hdl=10654/18083|hdl-access=free}}

{{Cite journal|author=Angiosperm Phylogeny Group |year=2016|title=An update of the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group classification for the orders and families of flowering plants: APG IV|journal=Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society|volume=181|issue=1|pages=1–20|issn=0024-4074|doi=10.1111/boj.12385|doi-access=free}}

}}

Bibliography

{{Commons category}}

{{Wikispecies}}

{{Refbegin}}

  • {{cite book |last1=Dahlgren |first1=Rolf |last2=Clifford |first2=H. T. |title=The monocotyledons: A comparative study |url={{Google books|coXwAAAAMAAJ|plainurl=yes}} |year=1982 |location=London and New York |publisher=Academic Press }}
  • [https://web.archive.org/web/20150924075424/http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/splist.pl?11828 Germplasm Resources Information Network: Tacca]
  • [https://archive.today/20120529173550/http://delta-intkey.com/angio/www/taccacea.htm Taccaceae] in L. Watson and M.J. Dallwitz (1992 onwards), [http://delta-intkey.com/angio/ The families of flowering plants] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070103200438/http://delta-intkey.com/angio/ |date=2007-01-03 }}
  • Huxley, A., ed. (1992). New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. Macmillan.

{{Refend}}

{{Taxonbar|from=Q311670}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:Dioscoreaceae

Category:Dioscoreales genera