''Duroia'' is a
genus
Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below family. In binomial nom ...
of
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 ...
s in the
family Rubiaceae
The Rubiaceae are a family of flowering plants, commonly known as the coffee, madder, or bedstraw family. It consists of terrestrial trees, shrubs, lianas, or herbs that are recognizable by simple, opposite leaves with interpetiolar stipules a ...
. The genus is found from
Costa Rica to tropical South America.
Ecology
A number of ''Duroia'' species, and possibly all, are capable of biochemical interactions inhibiting the growth of neighbouring plants. Analysis of root extracts from ''
Duroia hirsuta'' have yielded a strong plant growth inhibitor plumericin, a
tetracyclic iridoid lactone
Lactones are cyclic carboxylic esters, containing a 1-oxacycloalkan-2-one structure (), or analogues having unsaturation or heteroatoms replacing one or more carbon atoms of the ring.
Lactones are formed by intramolecular esterification of the co ...
. This process, common amongst plants, is termed
allelopathy. In the case of ''Duroia hirsuta'', the chemical inhibitor is aided by the leafcutter ant ''
Myrmelachista schumanni'' resident on and in the tree, and playing an active role in suppressing and destroying plant growth in the vicinity of their host by injecting and spraying
formic acid. The area around the
understory
In forestry and ecology, understory (American English), or understorey (Commonwealth English), also known as underbrush or undergrowth, includes plant life growing beneath the forest canopy without penetrating it to any great extent, but abo ...
species ''Duroia hirsuta'' is often devoid of all other plant types, leading to the local name '
Devil's garden'. The cost to the host plant for this protection is considerable, since the resident ants subject the tree to increased leaf cutting.
Species
*''
Duroia amapana''
Steyerm.
*''
Duroia aquatica''
( Aubl.) Bremek.
*''
Duroia bolivarensis''
Steyerm.
*''
Duroia costaricensis''
Standl.
*''
Duroia duckei''
Huber
*''
Duroia eriopila''
L.f.
*''
Duroia fusifera''
Spruce ex K.Schum.
*''
Duroia genipoides''
Spruce ex K.Schum.
*''
Duroia gransabanensis''
Steyerm.
*''
Duroia hirsuta''
(Poepp.) K.Schum.
*''
Duroia hirsutissima''
Steyerm.
*''
Duroia kotchubioides''
Steyerm.
*''
Duroia laevis''
Devia Perss. & C.M.Taylor
*''
Duroia longiflora''
Ducke
*''
Duroia longifolia''
(Poepp.) K.Schum.
*''
Duroia macrophylla''
Huber
*''
Duroia maguirei''
Steyerm.
*''
Duroia martiniana''
( Miers) Bremek.
*''
Duroia melinonii''
Standl.
*''
Duroia merumensis''
Steyerm.
*''
Duroia micrantha''
(Ladbr.) Zarucchi & J.H.Kirkbr.
*''
Duroia nitida''
Steyerm.
*''
Duroia palustris''
Ducke
*''
Duroia paraensis''
Ducke
*''
Duroia paruensis''
Steyerm.
*''
Duroia petiolaris''
Spruce ex K.Schum.
*''
Duroia plicata''
Benoist
*''
Duroia prancei''
Steyerm.
*''
Duroia retrorsipila''
Steyerm.
*''
Duroia saccifera''
( Mart. ex Schult. & Schult.f.) K.Schum.
*''
Duroia sancti-ciprianii''
Devia Perss. & C.M.Taylor
*''
Duroia soejartoi''
D.R.Simpson
*''
Duroia steinbachii''
Standl.
*''
Duroia strigosa''
Steyerm.
*''
Duroia trichocarpa''
Standl.
*''
Duroia triflora''
Ducke
*''
Duroia valesca''
C.H.Perss. & Delprete
*''
Duroia velutina''
Hook.f. ex K.Schum.
References
External links
''Duroia'' in the World Checklist of RubiaceaeNew York Botanical Garden
Rubiaceae genera
Cordiereae
{{Ixoroideae-stub