''Carludovica'' 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

family Family (from la, familia) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its ...

Cyclanthaceae Cyclanthaceae is a family of flowering plants. Taxonomy Earlier systems, such as the Cronquist system and the Takhtajan system, placed it as the sole family in the order Cyclanthales. In the classification system of Dahlgren the Cyclanthaceae w ...

. It is native to tropical

America The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

, from southern

Mexico Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...

and

Guatemala Guatemala ( ; ), officially the Republic of Guatemala ( es, República de Guatemala, links=no), is a country in Central America. It is bordered to the north and west by Mexico; to the northeast by Belize and the Caribbean; to the east by H ...

Ecuador Ecuador ( ; ; Quechua: ''Ikwayur''; Shuar: ''Ecuador'' or ''Ekuatur''), officially the Republic of Ecuador ( es, República del Ecuador, which literally translates as "Republic of the Equator"; Quechua: ''Ikwadur Ripuwlika''; Shuar: ''Eku ...

and

Bolivia , image_flag = Bandera de Bolivia (Estado).svg , flag_alt = Horizontal tricolor (red, yellow, and green from top to bottom) with the coat of arms of Bolivia in the center , flag_alt2 = 7 × 7 square p ...

.Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families
/ref> ''Carludovica'' is named in honor of

Charles IV of Spain , house = Bourbon-Anjou , father = Charles III of Spain , mother =Maria Amalia of Saxony , birth_date =11 November 1748 , birth_place =Palace of Portici, Portici, Naples , death_date = , death_place = ...

and his wife

Maria Luisa of Parma Maria Luisa of Parma (Luisa Maria Teresa Anna; 9 December 1751 – 2 January 1819) was, by marriage to King Charles IV of Spain, Queen of Spain from 1788 to 1808 leading up to the Peninsular War. Her relationship with Manuel Godoy and influence o ...

.Genaust, Helmut (1976). Etymologisches Wörterbuch der botanischen Pflanzennamen Harling, G. (1958) "Monograph of the Cyclanthaceae" Acta Horti Berg. 18 : 128–131.

Cultivation and uses

The genus is probably best known for ''

Carludovica palmata ''Carludovica palmata'' (Panama hat plant or toquilla palm) is a palm-like monocot plant. It is not a true palm. Its leaves are different from the leaves of true palms, and unlike true palms it does not develop a woody trunk. Its female flowers ...

'' (toquilla), the young leaves of which are made into

Panama hat A Panama hat, also known as an Ecuadorian hat, a jipijapa hat, or a toquilla straw hat, is a traditional brimmed straw hat of Ecuadorian origin. Traditionally, hats were made from the plaited leaves of the ''Carludovica palmata'' plant, known ...

s. An unidentified species belonging to this family (possibly a ''Carludovica'' species) has been marketed as a houseplant in the United States under the name "Jungle Drum".

Lists of species

According to Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families, there are four species * ''

Carludovica drudei ''Carludovica'' is a genus in the family Cyclanthaceae. It is native to tropical America, from southern Mexico and Guatemala to Ecuador and Bolivia. ''Carludovica'' is named in honor of Charles IV of Spain and his wife Maria Luisa of Parma.Genau ...

'' Mast. - Chiapas, Oaxaca, Tabasco, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Panama, Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela * ''

'' Ruiz & Pav. - widespread from Tabasco to Bolivia * ''

Carludovica rotundifolia ''Carludovica'' is a genus in the family Cyclanthaceae. It is native to tropical America, from southern Mexico and Guatemala to Ecuador and Bolivia. ''Carludovica'' is named in honor of Charles IV of Spain and his wife Maria Luisa of Parma.Genau ...

'' Schaedtler - Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Panama * ''

Carludovica sulcata ''Carludovica'' is a genus in the family Cyclanthaceae. It is native to tropical America, from southern Mexico and Guatemala to Ecuador and Bolivia. ''Carludovica'' is named in honor of Charles IV of Spain and his wife Maria Luisa of Parma.Genau ...

'' Hammel - Nicaragua, Costa Rica

Tropicos Tropicos is an online botanical database containing taxonomic information on plants, mainly from the Neotropical realm (Central, and South America). It is maintained by the Missouri Botanical Garden and was established over 25 years ago. The data ...

lists more species but it may contain potential synonyms: - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ''C. divergens'' (syn. of ''

Asplundia ''Asplundia'' is a genus of plants belonging to the family Cyclanthaceae. They are distributed in the Neotropical realm from southern Mexico to southern Brazil Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (Portugues ...

divergens'') - - - - - - - - - - ''C. gigantea'' (syn. of ''C. palmata'') - - - - - - - - - - - ''C. incisa'' (syn. of ''C. palmata'') - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

References

* Franz, Nico M.; O'Brien, Charles W. (2001) "''Ganglionus'', a New Genus of Derelomini (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) Associated with ''Carludovica'' (Cyclanthaceae)" ''Annals of the Entomological Society of America'' 94 (6): 835–850. *

External links

Cyclanthaceae Pandanales genera {{Pandanales-stub