Medusagyne oppositifolia, the jellyfish tree, is a species of tree endemic to the island of Mahé, of the Seychelles. It is the only member of the genus Medusagyne of the tropical tree and shrub family Ochnaceae. The plant, thought to be extinct until a few individuals were found in the 1970s, gets its common name from the distinctive jellyfish-like shape of its dehisced fruit.[1]
Jellyfish tree
Flower buds, open flowers and the medusa-like dehisced fruit (below)
They are small trees which can reach up to 15 m (49 ft) tall and have a dense rounded crown of foliage.[2] The bark is dark and has many distinctive, deep fissures.[2] The leaves are shiny and leathery in appearance with a slightly scalloped edge; they turn bright red with age. Leaves are up to 8 cm (3.1 in) in length.[2] The small white flowers are difficult to see amongst the dense foliage; male and bisexual flowers are carried on the drooping inflorescence.[2] The generic name Medusagyne was given to the plant by John Gilbert Baker who thought that the gynoecium of the flower resembles the head of Medusa from Greek mythology. Baker did not have the dehisced fruit, which resembles a larval hydrozoan or jellyfish, so he did not base the generic name on this resemblance; This dehiscing fruit consists of a single whorl of up to 25 carpels.[3][4] the vernacular name, jellyfish tree, was applied later possibly based on the appearance of the dehisced fruit and the coincidence that the word medusa is also used to describe the free-floating umbrella-shaped form of jellyfish.[5] This plant exhibits many adaptations to dry climate, strange on a moist archipelago. It can withstand drought, and its seeds disperse by the wind. This suggests it has Gondwanan origins.[6] The fruits are green and rounded; the outer coat becomes reddish-brown with maturity and then dries, exposing the seeds within, which are then distributed by the wind.[2]
Classificationedit
The genus Medusagyne is in the family Ochnaceae, e.g. in the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group classification, though it is sometimes in the monogeneric family Medusagynaceae. The small tropical American family Quiinaceae is also included in this broad concept of Ochnaceae.[7]
Developmentedit
The pollen ontogeny of the Medusagyne oppositifolia has some unique features that are shown. These features include a large onci that is composed of fibrilla spacer during the early stage of development to represent the atria section of it.[citation needed]
Habitatedit
The tree inhabits exposed granite slopes, at present all locations are within 2 km (1.2 mi) of the sea.[2]
Threatsedit
The jellyfish tree presents a conundrum in that the seeds seem unable to germinate in the wild; no young plants have been observed in the natural stands.[8] Successful cultivation in botanic gardens has occurred in very humid conditions, but high humidity is unlikely in the exposed habitat where these trees are found in the wild.[8] It has been suggested that jellyfish trees have been lost from the more appropriate habitat of moist forests through competition with other species and climate change.[8]
Conservationedit
Three of the existing populations of jellyfish tree on the island on Mahé (Bernica, Copolia and Mt. Jasmin) are protected within the Morne Seychellois National Park.[8] Although seedlings have been grown in a number of botanic gardens, many problems remain and a conservation priority must be further researched into the reproductive biology of this intriguing species before any effective Action Plan for its future can be devised.[8]
^ abMatatiken, D.; Huber, M.J. & Ismail, S. (2011). "Medusagyne oppositifolia". The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2011. IUCN: e.T37781A10072208. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2011-2.RLTS.T37781A10072208.en. Retrieved 3 January 2018.
^ abcdefWise, R. (1998). A Fragile Eden. New Jersey: Princeton University Press.
^Heywood, Prof. V.H. (1978). Flowering Plants of the World. New York: Mayflower Books. p. 82.
^Hutchinson, John (1959). Families of Flowering Plants -Volume One Dicots. Cambridge, England: Clarendon Press. p. 280.
^Robertson, Ann, Rosemary Wise, and Frank White. 1989. Medusagyne oppositifolia. Curtis's Botanical Magazine, 6: 166–171. doi: 10.1111/j.1467-8748.1989.tb00650.x
^Kingdon, Jonathan (1989). Island Africa: The Evolution of Africa's Rare Plants and Animals. Princeton, New Jersey: Princeton University Press. pp. 42–43. ISBN0-691-08560-9.
^Fay, M. F., Swensen, S. M. & Chase, M. W. (1997). Taxonomic affinities of Medusagyne oppositifolia. Kew Bulletin 52: 111-120.
^ abcdeGerlach, J. (1997). Seychelles Red Data Book. Seychelles: The Nature Protection Trust of the Seychelles.
External linksedit
Medusagynaceae;
— in
Dressler, S.; Schmidt, M. & Zizka, G. (2014). "Medusagyne". African plants – a Photo Guide. Frankfurt/Main: Forschungsinstitut Senckenberg.
January 01, 1970
medusagyne, oppositifolia, jellyfish, tree, species, tree, endemic, island, mahé, seychelles, only, member, genus, tropical, tree, shrub, family, ochnaceae, plant, thought, extinct, until, individuals, were, found, 1970s, gets, common, name, from, distinctive,. Medusagyne oppositifolia the jellyfish tree is a species of tree endemic to the island of Mahe of the Seychelles It is the only member of the genus Medusagyne of the tropical tree and shrub family Ochnaceae The plant thought to be extinct until a few individuals were found in the 1970s gets its common name from the distinctive jellyfish like shape of its dehisced fruit 1 Jellyfish tree Flower buds open flowers and the medusa like dehisced fruit below Conservation status Critically Endangered IUCN 3 1 1 Scientific classification Kingdom Plantae Clade Tracheophytes Clade Angiosperms Clade Eudicots Clade Rosids Order Malpighiales Family Ochnaceae Subfamily MedusagynoideaeReveal Genus MedusagyneBaker Species M oppositifolia Binomial name Medusagyne oppositifoliaBaker Mahe home of jellyfish trees Contents 1 Description 2 Classification 3 Development 4 Habitat 5 Threats 6 Conservation 7 References 8 External linksDescription editThey are small trees which can reach up to 15 m 49 ft tall and have a dense rounded crown of foliage 2 The bark is dark and has many distinctive deep fissures 2 The leaves are shiny and leathery in appearance with a slightly scalloped edge they turn bright red with age Leaves are up to 8 cm 3 1 in in length 2 The small white flowers are difficult to see amongst the dense foliage male and bisexual flowers are carried on the drooping inflorescence 2 The generic name Medusagyne was given to the plant by John Gilbert Baker who thought that the gynoecium of the flower resembles the head of Medusa from Greek mythology Baker did not have the dehisced fruit which resembles a larval hydrozoan or jellyfish so he did not base the generic name on this resemblance This dehiscing fruit consists of a single whorl of up to 25 carpels 3 4 the vernacular name jellyfish tree was applied later possibly based on the appearance of the dehisced fruit and the coincidence that the word medusa is also used to describe the free floating umbrella shaped form of jellyfish 5 This plant exhibits many adaptations to dry climate strange on a moist archipelago It can withstand drought and its seeds disperse by the wind This suggests it has Gondwanan origins 6 The fruits are green and rounded the outer coat becomes reddish brown with maturity and then dries exposing the seeds within which are then distributed by the wind 2 Classification editThe genus Medusagyne is in the family Ochnaceae e g in the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group classification though it is sometimes in the monogeneric family Medusagynaceae The small tropical American family Quiinaceae is also included in this broad concept of Ochnaceae 7 Development editThe pollen ontogeny of the Medusagyne oppositifolia has some unique features that are shown These features include a large onci that is composed of fibrilla spacer during the early stage of development to represent the atria section of it citation needed Habitat editThe tree inhabits exposed granite slopes at present all locations are within 2 km 1 2 mi of the sea 2 Threats editThe jellyfish tree presents a conundrum in that the seeds seem unable to germinate in the wild no young plants have been observed in the natural stands 8 Successful cultivation in botanic gardens has occurred in very humid conditions but high humidity is unlikely in the exposed habitat where these trees are found in the wild 8 It has been suggested that jellyfish trees have been lost from the more appropriate habitat of moist forests through competition with other species and climate change 8 Conservation editThree of the existing populations of jellyfish tree on the island on Mahe Bernica Copolia and Mt Jasmin are protected within the Morne Seychellois National Park 8 Although seedlings have been grown in a number of botanic gardens many problems remain and a conservation priority must be further researched into the reproductive biology of this intriguing species before any effective Action Plan for its future can be devised 8 References editThis article incorporates text from the ARKive fact file Jellyfish tree Medusagyne oppositifolia under the Creative Commons Attribution ShareAlike 3 0 Unported License and the GFDL a b Matatiken D Huber M J amp Ismail S 2011 Medusagyne oppositifolia The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2011 IUCN e T37781A10072208 doi 10 2305 IUCN UK 2011 2 RLTS T37781A10072208 en Retrieved 3 January 2018 a b c d e f Wise R 1998 A Fragile Eden New Jersey Princeton University Press Heywood Prof V H 1978 Flowering Plants of the World New York Mayflower Books p 82 Hutchinson John 1959 Families of Flowering Plants Volume One Dicots Cambridge England Clarendon Press p 280 Robertson Ann Rosemary Wise and Frank White 1989 Medusagyne oppositifolia Curtis s Botanical Magazine 6 166 171 doi 10 1111 j 1467 8748 1989 tb00650 x Kingdon Jonathan 1989 Island Africa The Evolution of Africa s Rare Plants and Animals Princeton New Jersey Princeton University Press pp 42 43 ISBN 0 691 08560 9 Fay M F Swensen S M amp Chase M W 1997 Taxonomic affinities of Medusagyne oppositifolia Kew Bulletin 52 111 120 a b c d e Gerlach J 1997 Seychelles Red Data Book Seychelles The Nature Protection Trust of the Seychelles External links editMedusagynaceae in L Watson and M J Dallwitz 1992 onwards The families of flowering plants descriptions illustrations identification information retrieval Dressler S Schmidt M amp Zizka G 2014 Medusagyne African plants a Photo Guide Frankfurt Main Forschungsinstitut Senckenberg Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Medusagyne amp oldid 1198325500, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
