''Ochna''Linnaeus C (1753) ''Sp. Pl.'' 1: 513. 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 ...

comprising 86

species In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...

of evergreen trees, shrubs and shrublets belonging to 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 ''

Ochnaceae Ochnaceae is a family of flowering plants in the order Malpighiales.Vernon H. Heywood, Richard K. Brummitt, Ole Seberg, and Alastair Culham. ''Flowering Plant Families of the World''. Firefly Books: Ontario, Canada. (2007). . In the APG III syst ...

''. These species are 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 ...

woodlands of

Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia in both cases. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of Earth's total surface area ...

, the

Mascarenes 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 ...

and

Asia Asia (, ) is one of the world's most notable geographical regions, which is either considered a continent in its own right or a subcontinent of Eurasia, which shares the continental landmass of Afro-Eurasia with Africa. Asia covers an are ...

. Species of this genus are usually called ochnas, bird's-eye bushes or Mickey-mouse plants, a name derived from the shape of the drupelet

fruit In botany, a fruit is the seed-bearing structure in flowering plants that is formed from the ovary after flowering. Fruits are the means by which flowering plants (also known as angiosperms) disseminate their seeds. Edible fruits in particu ...

. The name of this genus comes from the

Greek Greek may refer to: Greece Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe: *Greeks, an ethnic group. *Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family. **Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor ...

word ''Ochne'', used by

Homer Homer (; grc, Ὅμηρος , ''Hómēros'') (born ) was a Greek poet who is credited as the author of the ''Iliad'' and the ''Odyssey'', two epic poems that are foundational works of ancient Greek literature. Homer is considered one of the ...

and meaning ''wild pear'', as the leaves are similar in appearance. Some species, including ''

Ochna integerrima ''Ochna integerrima'', popularly called yellow ''Mai'' flower ( vi, mai vàng, ''hoa mai'', ''hoàng mai'' in southern Vietnam, although in the north, ''mai'' usually refers to ''Prunus mume''), is a plant species in the genus ''Ochna'' () and fa ...

'' (yellow ''Mai'' flower) and '' O. serrulata'' (bird's eye plant), are cultivated as decorative plants.

Distribution

Species of this genus are found in the Old World

Tropics 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 referr ...

, especially in

Madagascar Madagascar (; mg, Madagasikara, ), officially the Republic of Madagascar ( mg, Repoblikan'i Madagasikara, links=no, ; french: République de Madagascar), is an island country in the Indian Ocean, approximately off the coast of East Africa ...

, 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. Their ...

and

Selected species

*''

Ochna afzelii ''Ochna''Linnaeus C (1753) ''Sp. Pl.'' 1: 513. is a genus comprising 86 species of evergreen trees, shrubs and shrublets belonging to the flowering plant family ''Ochnaceae''. These species are native to tropical woodlands of Africa, the Mascare ...

'' *''

Ochna andamanica ''Ochna''Linnaeus C (1753) ''Sp. Pl.'' 1: 513. is a genus comprising 86 species of evergreen trees, shrubs and shrublets belonging to the flowering plant family '' Ochnaceae''. These species are native to tropical woodlands of Africa, the Masca ...

'' *''

Ochna angustata ''Ochna angustata'' is a species of plant in the family Ochnaceae. It is endemic to Mozambique Mozambique (), officially the Republic of Mozambique ( pt, Moçambique or , ; ny, Mozambiki; sw, Msumbiji; ts, Muzambhiki), is a country loca ...

'' *''

Ochna arborea ''Elaeocarpus integrifolius'' is a species of flowering plant in the Elaeocarpaceae family. It is found only in Mauritius. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical dry forest A forest is an area of land dominated by trees. Hundreds ...

'' *''

Ochna awrrulata ''Ochna''Linnaeus C (1753) ''Sp. Pl.'' 1: 513. is a genus comprising 86 species of evergreen trees, shrubs and shrublets belonging to the flowering plant family '' Ochnaceae''. These species are native to tropical woodlands of Africa, the Masca ...

'' *''

Ochna barbosae ''Ochna''Linnaeus C (1753) ''Sp. Pl.'' 1: 513. is a genus comprising 86 species of evergreen trees, shrubs and shrublets belonging to the flowering plant family '' Ochnaceae''. These species are native to tropical woodlands of Africa, the Masca ...

'' – sand plane, sand ochna *''

Ochna beddomei ''Ochna''Linnaeus C (1753) ''Sp. Pl.'' 1: 513. is a genus comprising 86 species of evergreen trees, shrubs and shrublets belonging to the flowering plant family '' Ochnaceae''. These species are native to tropical woodlands of Africa, the Masca ...

'' *''

Ochna beirensis ''Ochna beirensis'' is a species of plant in the family Ochnaceae. It is endemic to Mozambique Mozambique (), officially the Republic of Mozambique ( pt, Moçambique or , ; ny, Mozambiki; sw, Msumbiji; ts, Muzambhiki), is a country loca ...

'' *''

Ochna brevipes ''Ochna''Linnaeus C (1753) ''Sp. Pl.'' 1: 513. is a genus comprising 86 species of evergreen trees, shrubs and shrublets belonging to the flowering plant family '' Ochnaceae''. These species are native to tropical woodlands of Africa, the Masca ...

'' *''

Ochna calodendron ''Ochna''Linnaeus C (1753) ''Sp. Pl.'' 1: 513. is a genus comprising 86 species of evergreen trees, shrubs and shrublets belonging to the flowering plant family '' Ochnaceae''. These species are native to tropical woodlands of Africa, the Masca ...

'' *''

Ochna chilversii ''Ochna''Linnaeus C (1753) ''Sp. Pl.'' 1: 513. is a genus comprising 86 species of evergreen trees, shrubs and shrublets belonging to the flowering plant family '' Ochnaceae''. These species are native to tropical woodlands of Africa, the Masca ...

'' *''

Ochna ciliata ''Ochna''Linnaeus C (1753) ''Sp. Pl.'' 1: 513. is a genus comprising 86 species of evergreen trees, shrubs and shrublets belonging to the flowering plant family ''Ochnaceae''. These species are native to tropical woodlands of Africa, the Mascare ...

'' *''

Ochna crocea ''Campylospermum serratum'' is a plant in the family Ochnaceae. The specific name (botany), specific epithet ' is from the Latin meaning "with teeth", referring to the leaf margin. It is found in Tropical Asia, from Sulawesi, Indonesia to Hainan, ...

'' *'' Ochna fruticulosa'' *'' Ochna gambleoides'' *''

Ochna glauca ''Ochna''Linnaeus C (1753) ''Sp. Pl.'' 1: 513. is a genus comprising 86 species of evergreen trees, shrubs and shrublets belonging to the flowering plant family ''Ochnaceae''. These species are native to tropical woodlands of Africa, the Mascare ...

'' - blue–leaved ochna *'' Ochna grandis'' *''

Ochna harmandii ''Ochna''Linnaeus C (1753) ''Sp. Pl.'' 1: 513. is a genus comprising 86 species of evergreen trees, shrubs and shrublets belonging to the flowering plant family ''Ochnaceae''. These species are native to tropical woodlands of Africa, the Mascare ...

'' *'' Ochna holstii'' – red ironwood, red ironwood ochna *'' Ochna inermis'' – stunted plane, boat-fruited ochna *'' Ochna indica'' *''

'' – yellow ''Mai'' flower (for Tet in southern Vietnam) *'' Ochna jabotapita'' *'' Ochna lanceolata'' *'' Ochna lucida'' *'' Ochna macrantha'' *''

Ochna mauritiana ''Ochna''Linnaeus C (1753) ''Sp. Pl.'' 1: 513. is a genus comprising 86 species of evergreen trees, shrubs and shrublets belonging to the flowering plant family ''Ochnaceae''. These species are native to tropical woodlands of Africa, the Mascare ...

'' *'' Ochna membranacea'' *''

Ochna mossambicensis ''Ochna''Linnaeus C (1753) ''Sp. Pl.'' 1: 513. is a genus comprising 86 species of evergreen trees, shrubs and shrublets belonging to the flowering plant family ''Ochnaceae''. These species are native to tropical woodlands of Africa, the Mascare ...

'' *'' Ochna multiflora'' *''

Ochna natalitia ''Ochna''Linnaeus C (1753) ''Sp. Pl.'' 1: 513. is a genus comprising 86 species of evergreen trees, shrubs and shrublets belonging to the flowering plant family ''Ochnaceae''. These species are native to tropical woodlands of Africa, the Mascare ...

'' – Natal plane, showy ochna *''

Ochna obtusata ''Ochna obtusata'' is a woody shrub or a small tree with glossy leaves. It has attractive yellow flowers, followed by seeds surrounded by bright red sepals. The bright red seed cup is as attractive as the flowers. The seeds are initially green, ...

'' *'' Ochna parviflora'' *'' Ochna polycarpa'' *''

Ochna pretoriensis ''Ochna''Linnaeus C (1753) ''Sp. Pl.'' 1: 513. is a genus comprising 86 species of evergreen trees, shrubs and shrublets belonging to the flowering plant family ''Ochnaceae''. These species are native to tropical woodlands of Africa, the Mascare ...

'' – Magalies plane, Magalies ochna *''

Ochna pruinosa ''Ochna''Linnaeus C (1753) ''Sp. Pl.'' 1: 513. is a genus comprising 86 species of evergreen trees, shrubs and shrublets belonging to the flowering plant family ''Ochnaceae''. These species are native to tropical woodlands of Africa, the Mascar ...

'' *'' Ochna pulchra'' – peeling plane, peeling ochna *''

Ochna rufescens ''Ochna rufescens'' is a species of plant in the family Ochnaceae. It is Endemism, endemic to Sri Lanka. References

Flora of Sri Lanka Ochna, rufescens Critically endangered plants Taxonomy articles created by Polbot {{malpighiales-stu ...

'' *''

Ochna serrulata ''Ochna serrulata'' (commonly known as the small-leaved plane, carnival ochna, bird's eye bush, Mickey mouse plant or Mickey Mouse bush due to the plant's ripe blackfruit, which upside down resembles the ears of Mickey Mouse, and bright-red sepal ...

'' (syn. ''O. atropurpurea'', ''O. multiflora'') – carnival ochna, Mickey mouse bush *'' Ochna schweinfurthiana'' *'' Ochna thomasiana'' (syn. ''O. kirkii'') *'' Ochna wallichii'' *'' Ochna wightiana''

References

External links

* {{taxonbar, from=Q573859 Malpighiales genera