''Abuta'' is a

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...

in the

flowering plant Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (), commonly called angiosperms. The term "angiosperm" is derived from the Greek words ('container, vessel') and ('seed'), and refers to those plants th ...

family

Menispermaceae Menispermaceae (botanical Latin: 'moonseed family' from Greek ''mene'' 'crescent moon' and ''sperma'' 'seed') is a family of flowering plants. The alkaloid tubocurarine, a neuromuscular blocker and the active ingredient in the 'tube curare' form ...

, of about 32 species, native to

tropical The tropics are the regions of Earth surrounding the Equator. They are defined in latitude by the Tropic of Cancer in the Northern Hemisphere at N and the Tropic of Capricorn in the Southern Hemisphere at S. The tropics are also referred to ...

Central Central is an adjective usually referring to being in the center of some place or (mathematical) object. Central may also refer to: Directions and generalised locations * Central Africa, a region in the centre of Africa continent, also known as ...

and

South America South America is a continent entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere at the northern tip of the continent. It can also be described as the southe ...

Description

It consists in dioecious vine, climbers or rarely erect trees or shrubs (''Abuta concolor'') with simple leaf, leaves. Flowers in composed panicles. Plant sexuality, Male flowers: sepals 6, in 2 Whorl (botany), whorls, petals absent, stamens 6, connate or free, introrse, anthers with a longitudinal or transverse dehiscence. Plant sexuality, Female flowers: sepals and petals as in male, staminodes 6, carpels 3, drupes ovoid, endocarp woody, Condyle (anatomy), condyle septiform, endosperm ruminate, embryo curved, cotyledons appressed. It is in the tropical rain forest.

Taxonomy

''Abuta'' is usually classified in the tribe (biology), tribe Anomospermeae Miers, together with ''Anomospermum'' Miers.

Synonymy

The genera ''Anelasma'' John Miers (botanist), Miers and ''Batschia'' Thunb. have been brought into synonym (taxonomy), synonymy with ''Abuta''.

Uses

''Abuta'' is one of the components of the arrow poison curare of some indigenous tribes of South America (especially ''Abuta imene'' from Colombia). Roots of ''Abuta rufescens'' are used as medicinal in diseases of the urogenital tract, but it is dangerous. The dichloromethane extracts of ''Abuta grandifolia'' and ''Minthostachys setosa'' (Labiatae) demonstrated high larva, larvicidal activity against ''Aedes aegypti'', the most active being the dichloromethane extract of ''A. grandifolia''.

Selected species

*''Abuta acutifolia'' Miers *''Abuta amara'' Aubl. *''Abuta antioquiana'' Krukoff & Barneby *''Abuta aristeguietae'' Krukoff & Barneby *''Abuta barbata'' Miers *''Abuta boliviana'' Rusby *''Abuta brevifolia'' Krukoff & Moldenke *''Abuta brunnescens'' Krukoff & Barneby *''Abuta bullata'' Moldenke *''Abuta candicans'' Rich. ex DC. *''Abuta candollei'' Triana & Planch. *''Abuta chiapasensis'' Krukoff & Barneby *''Abuta chocoensis'' Krukoff & Barneby *''Abuta colombiana'' Moldenke *''Abuta concolor'' Poepp. & Endl. *''Abuta convexa'' Diels *''Abuta duckei'' Diels *''Abuta dwyerana'' Krukoff & Barneby *''Abuta ecuadoriensis'' Moldenke *''Abuta fluminum'' Krukoff & Barneby *''Abuta froesii'' Krukoff & Moldenke *''Abuta grandifolia'' (Mart.) Sandwith *''Abuta grisebachii'' Triana & Planch. *''Abuta guianensis'' Eichler *''Abuta heterophylla'' Miers *''Abuta imene'' Eichler *''Abuta klugii'' Moldenke ex Macbride *''Abuta limaciifolia'' Diels *''Abuta longa'' Krukoff & Barneby *''Abuta macrocarpa'' Moldenke *''Abuta macrophylla'' Miers *''Abuta manausensis'' Krukoff & Barneby *''Abuta mycetandra'' Krukoff & Barneby *''Abuta negroensis'' Krukoff & Moldenke *''Abuta oblonga'' Miers *''Abuta oblongifolia'' Miers *''Abuta obovata'' Diels *''Abuta pahni'' Krukoff & Barneby *''Abuta panamensis'' (Standl.) Krukoff & Barneby *''Abuta panurensis'' Eichler *''Abuta parvifolia'' Rusby ex Moldenke *''Abuta platyphylla'' Mart. ex Eichler *''Abuta pullei'' Diels *''Abuta racemosa'' Triana & Planch. *''Abuta rufescens'' Aubl. * *''Abuta sadwithiana'' Krukoff & Barneby *''Abuta scandens'' DC. *''Abuta seemanni'' Triana & Planch. *''Abuta selloana'' Eichler *''Abuta solimoesensis'' Krukoff & Barneby *''Abuta soukupi'' Moldenke *''Abuta spicata'' Triana & Planch. *''Abuta splendida'' Krukoff & Moldenke *''Abuta steyermarkii'' (Standl.) Standl. *''Abuta tomentosa'' Sagot ex Benth. *''Abuta toxifera'' Baill. ex Krukoff & Moldenke *''Abuta trinervis'' (Rusby) Moldenke *''Abuta umbellata'' Sagot ex Benth. *''Abuta vaupesensis'' Krukoff & Barneby *''Abuta velutina'' Gleason *''Abuta verruculosa'' Krukoff & Barneby *''Abuta wilson-brownei'' R.S.Cowan

References

External links

Images of ''Abuta panamensis'' from La Flora Digital de La Selva, Costa Rica
Menispermaceae genera Neotropical realm flora Menispermaceae Taxa named by Jean Baptiste Christian Fusée-Aublet {{Ranunculales-stub