''Cussonia'' 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 ...

of plants of the family

Araliaceae The Araliaceae are a family of flowering plants composed of about 43 genera and around 1500 species consisting of primarily woody plants and some herbaceous plants. The morphology of Araliaceae varies widely, but it is predominantly distinguisha ...

, which is native to the

Afrotropics The Afrotropical realm is one of Earth's eight biogeographic realms. It includes Africa south of the Sahara Desert, the majority of the Arabian Peninsula, the island of Madagascar, southern Iran and extreme southwestern Pakistan, and the island ...

. It originated in Africa and has its center of distribution in

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring countri ...

and the

Mascarene Islands The Mascarene Islands (, ) or Mascarenes or Mascarenhas Archipelago is a group of islands in the Indian Ocean east of Madagascar consisting of the islands belonging to the Republic of Mauritius as well as the French department of Réunion. Thei ...

. Due to their striking habit, they are a conspicuous and easily recognizable group of plants. Their genus name commemorates the botanist

Pierre Cusson Pierre Cusson (1727–1783), anglicised as Peter Cusson, was a French botanist who specialised in Umbelliferae. As a young man, he travelled through Majorca, Spain and the Pyrenees, building up an excellent specimen collection of the flora of those ...

. The Afro-Malagasy and Asian ''

Schefflera ''Schefflera'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Araliaceae. With an estimated 600–900 species, the genus represents about half of its family. The plants are trees, shrubs or lianas, growing tall, with woody stems, the absence of ...

'', and Afrotropical ''

Seemannaralia ''Seemannaralia gerrardii'', commonly known as the wild-maple or mock carrot tree, is a species of flowering plant in the family Araliaceae. It is the sole member of genus ''Seemannaralia'', and is endemic (ecology), endemic to South Africa, wher ...

'' genera are related taxa that share several of its morphological characteristics, among which the leaves borne on the end of branches, inflorescences carried on terminal branches or stems, and reduced leaf complexity in developing inflorescences.

Range and habitat

They occur in grasslands, woodlands and forests, from sea level to over 2,000 metres in altitude. Geographically, they are indigenous to

sub-Saharan Africa Sub-Saharan Africa is, geographically, the area and regions of the continent of Africa that lies south of the Sahara. These include West Africa, East Africa, Central Africa, and Southern Africa. Geopolitically, in addition to the List of sov ...

Yemen Yemen (; ar, ٱلْيَمَن, al-Yaman), officially the Republic of Yemen,, ) is a country in Western Asia. It is situated on the southern end of the Arabian Peninsula, and borders Saudi Arabia to the Saudi Arabia–Yemen border, north and ...

in the Arabian Peninsula and the

Comoro Islands The Comoro Islands or Comoros ( Shikomori ''Komori''; ar, جزر القمر , ''Juzur al-qamar''; french: Les Comores) form an archipelago of volcanic islands situated off the southeastern coast of Africa, to the east of Mozambique and northw ...

Habit and morphology

They are squat to lanky shrubs and trees with a palm-like habit. Their leaves are typically grouped in umbrella-shaped arrangements at the tips of long erect branches. The leaves are carried on long petioles, and have conspicuous stipules. The leaves are very variable in shape, often palmately compound (''cf.'' subgenus ''Paniculata'' Strey) with leaflets likewise variable in shape, but also simple or palmate. Their usually dense inflorescences are often spiked, and their small flowers usually have 5 greenish petals. Their stems and underground parts are succulent, and their bark is often corky. These plants are best grown from seed. These plants can handle an occasional and mild frost, but a chill will make the leaves fall off.

Species

There are some 20 to 22 species: * ''

Cussonia angolensis ''Cussonia'' is a genus of plants of the family Araliaceae, which is native to the Afrotropics. It originated in Africa and has its center of distribution in South Africa and the Mascarene Islands. Due to their striking habit, they are a consp ...

'' (Seem.) Hiern * '' Cussonia arborea'' Hochst. ex A.Rich. * '' Cussonia arenicola'' Strey * ''

Cussonia bancoensis ''Cussonia'' is a genus of plants of the family Araliaceae, which is native to the Afrotropics. It originated in Africa and has its center of distribution in South Africa and the Mascarene Islands. Due to their striking habit, they are a consp ...

'' Aubrév. & Pellegr. * ''

Cussonia brieyi ''Cussonia'' is a genus of plants of the family Araliaceae, which is native to the Afrotropics. It originated in Africa and has its center of distribution in South Africa and the Mascarene Islands. Due to their striking habit, they are a consp ...

'' De Wild. * ''

Cussonia corbisieri ''Cussonia'' is a genus of plants of the family Araliaceae, which is native to the Afrotropics. It originated in Africa and has its center of distribution in South Africa and the Mascarene Islands. Due to their striking habit, they are a consp ...

'' De Wild. * ''

Cussonia gamtoosensis ''Cussonia'' is a genus of plants of the family Araliaceae, which is native to the Afrotropics. It originated in Africa and has its center of distribution in South Africa and the Mascarene Islands. Due to their striking habit, they are a consp ...

'' Strey * ''

Cussonia holstii ''Cussonia'' is a genus of plants of the family Araliaceae, which is native to the Afrotropics. It originated in Africa and has its center of distribution in South Africa and the Mascarene Islands. Due to their striking habit, they are a consp ...

'' Harms ex Engl. * ''

Cussonia jatrophoides ''Cussonia'' is a genus of plants of the family Araliaceae, which is native to the Afrotropics. It originated in Africa and has its center of distribution in South Africa and the Mascarene Islands. Due to their striking habit, they are a consp ...

'' Hutchinson & E.A.Bruce * ''

Cussonia natalensis ''Cussonia'' is a genus of plants of the family Araliaceae, which is native to the Afrotropics. It originated in Africa and has its center of distribution in South Africa and the Mascarene Islands. Due to their striking habit, they are a consp ...

'' Sond. * ''

Cussonia nicholsonii ''Cussonia'' is a genus of plants of the family Araliaceae, which is native to the Afrotropics. It originated in Africa and has its center of distribution in South Africa and the Mascarene Islands. Due to their striking habit, they are a consp ...

'' Strey * ''

Cussonia ostinii ''Cussonia'' is a genus of plants of the family Araliaceae, which is native to the Afrotropics. It originated in Africa and has its center of distribution in South Africa and the Mascarene Islands. Due to their striking habit, they are a consp ...

'' Chiov. * ''

Cussonia paniculata ''Cussonia paniculata'', also known as kiepersol, is a large evergreen shrub or small tree up to in height native to South Africa. The plant has large and bold textured grey foliage. Uses The leaf is used ethnomedically to treat dysmenorrhe ...

'' Eckl. & Zeyh. * ''

Cussonia sessilis ''Cussonia'' is a genus of plants of the family Araliaceae, which is native to the Afrotropics. It originated in Africa and has its center of distribution in South Africa and the Mascarene Islands. Due to their striking habit, they are a consp ...

'' Lebrun * '' Cussonia sphaerocephala'' Strey * ''

Cussonia spicata ''Cussonia spicata'', known as spiked cabbage tree, lowveld cabbage tree or common cabbage tree, is a tree in the family Araliaceae, which is native to the moister regions of Sub-Saharan Africa. It is cultivated as a garden plant in areas witho ...

'' Thunb. * '' Cussonia thyrsiflora'' Thunb. * ''

Cussonia transvaalensis ''Cussonia'' is a genus of plants of the family Araliaceae, which is native to the Afrotropics. It originated in Africa and has its center of distribution in South Africa and the Mascarene Islands. Due to their striking habit, they are a conspi ...

'' Reyneke * '' Cussonia zimmermannii'' Harms * '' Cussonia zuluensis'' Strey

Gallery

Cussonia natalensis, blaar, Mthonjaneni.jpg, Palmate leaf of ''

'' Cussonia nicholsonii, blaar, Burmanbos.jpg, Compound leaf of ''

'' (6 leaflets) Cussonia paniculata07.jpg, Inflorescences of ''

'' Cussonia thyrsiflora - Cape Coast Cabbage Tree 2.JPG, Infrutescences of '' Cussonia thyrsiflora''

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q142359 Araliaceae Apiales genera Flora of Southern Africa