''Parsonsia'' is a genus of woody vines in the family Apocynaceae. Species occur throughout Indomalaya, Australasia and Melanesia.

Description

The

leaves A leaf (plural, : leaves) is any of the principal appendages of a vascular plant plant stem, stem, usually borne laterally aboveground and specialized for photosynthesis. Leaves are collectively called foliage, as in "autumn foliage", wh ...

are opposite, the shape and size of juvenile leaves often bearing little resemblance to the adult leaves. The latex may be clear and colourless, pale yellow or milky white. The flowers are green, white, cream, yellow, orange, red, pink or brown, sometimes with contrasting markings. These are followed by elongated pod-like capsules, the two follicles eventually separating to reveal numerous seeds with long, silky hairs.

Taxonomy

The genus was named and described in 1810 by botanist Robert Brown in his paper ''On the Asclepiadeae'' published in ''Memoirs of the Wernerian Natural History Society'' . He named the genus in honour of James Parsons (1705–1770), an English physician and Fellow of the Royal Society. The generic name ''Parsonsia'' R.Br. (1810) is conserved against the earlier homonym ''Parsonsia'' P.Browne which was given to a genus in the family

Lythraceae Lythraceae is a family of flowering plants, including 32 genera, with about 620 species of herbs, shrubs, and trees. The larger genera include ''Cuphea'' (275 spp.), ''Lagerstroemia'' (56), ''Nesaea'' (50), ''Rotala'' (45), and ''Lythrum'' (35). ...

. The latter genus is now included in '' Cuphea''. ''Parsonsia'' is closely related to ''Artia'' and ''Prestonia''.

Species

Accepted species ;formerly included # ''Parsonsia balansae'' Baill. = ''

Artia balansae Artia may refer to: *Artia, Virginia Artia is an unincorporated community in Buchanan County, Virginia, United States. Artia is located along U.S. Route 460 U.S. Route 460 (US 460) is a spur route of U.S. Route 60. It currently runs f ...

'' (Baill.) Pichon ex Guillaumin # ''Parsonsia barbata'' Blume = ''

Parameria laevigata ''Urceola'' is a plant genus in the family ''Apocynaceae'', first described as a genus in 1798. It is native to China, the Himalayas, Southeast Asia, and New Guinea. ;Species # '' Urceola brachysepala'' Hook.f. - Borneo, Java, W Malaysia, Sumatr ...

'' (Juss.) Moldenke # ''Parsonsia brachycarpa'' Baill. = ''

Artia brachycarpa Artia may refer to: *Artia, Virginia Artia is an unincorporated community in Buchanan County, Virginia, United States. Artia is located along U.S. Route 460 U.S. Route 460 (US 460) is a spur route of U.S. Route 60. It currently runs f ...

'' (Baill.) Boiteau # ''Parsonsia bracteata'' Hook. & Arn. = ''

Mandevilla pentlandiana ''Mandevilla'' is a genus of tropical and subtropical flowering vines belonging to the family Apocynaceae. It was first described as a genus in 1840. A common name is rocktrumpet. ''Mandevilla'' species are native to the Southwestern United S ...

'' (DC.) Woodson # ''Parsonsia corymbosa'' (Jacq.) R.Br. ex Steud. = ''

Pinochia corymbosa ''Pinochia corymbosa'' is a species of flowering plant in the family Apocynaceae, native to the Greater Antilles (Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Haiti and Puerto Rico). It was first described by Nikolaus Joseph von Jacquin in 1760 as ''Echites co ...

'' (Jacq.) M.E.Endress & B.F.Hansen # ''Parsonsia diversifolia'' (Warb.) Markgr. = ''

Lyonsia diversifolia Lyonsiidae is a family of small saltwater clams, marine bivalve molluscs in the order Anomalodesmata. Description Members of this family have inequivalve, oblong valves that are nearly equilateral. The right valve is more convex than the left, ...

'' Warb. # ''Parsonsia floribunda'' (Sw.) R.Br. ex Steud. = ''

Pinochia floribunda ''Pinochia'' is a genus of plants in the family Apocynaceae, first described as a genus in 2007. It is native to Central America, Mexico, and the West Indies.Endress, M. E. & B. F. Hansen. 2007. ''Pinochia'', a new genus of Apocynaceae, Apo ...

'' (Sw.) M.E.Endress & B.F.Hansen # ''Parsonsia francii'' Guillaumin = ''

Artia francii Artia may refer to: *Artia, Virginia Artia is an unincorporated community in Buchanan County, Virginia, United States. Artia is located along U.S. Route 460 U.S. Route 460 (US 460) is a spur route of U.S. Route 60. It currently runs f ...

'' (Guillaumin) Pichon # ''Parsonsia galeottiana'' Baill. = '' Thenardia galeottiana'' Baill. # ''Parsonsia javanica'' Blume 1826 not (Blume) K. Schum 1895 = ''

Urceola javanica ''Urceola'' may refer to: * ''Urceola'' (fungus), Quél. 1886, a genus of fungi in the order Helotiales * ''Urceola'' (plant), Roxb. 1799, a genus of plants in the family Apocynoideae See also * Urceolate This glossary of botanical te ...

'' (Blume) Boerl. # ''Parsonsia leptocarpa'' Hook. & Arn. = ''

Forsteronia leptocarpa ''Forsteronia'' is a genus of plants in the family Apocynaceae, first described as a genus in 1818. It is native to South America, Central America, Mexico, and the West Indies The West Indies is a subregion of North America, surrounded b ...

'' (Hook. & Arn.) A.DC. # ''Parsonsia lifuana'' Baill. = ''Artia lifuana'' (Baill.) Pichon ex Guillaumin # ''Parsonsia myrtifolia'' (Poir.) Roem. & Schult. = ''

Landolphia myrtifolia ''Landolphia'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family (biology), family Apocynaceae first described as a genus in 1806. They take the form of vines that scramble over host trees. ''Landolphia'' is native to tropical Africa. Characteristics ...

'' (Poir.) Markgr. # ''Parsonsia ovata'' Wall. ex G.Don = ''

Pottsia laxiflora ''Pottsia'' is a genus of plants in the family Apocynaceae, first described as a genus in 1837. It is native to East and Southeast Asia Asia (, ) is one of the world's most notable geographical regions, which is either considered a conti ...

'' (Blume) Kuntze # ''Parsonsia spicata'' (Jacq.) R.Br. ex Steud. = ''

Forsteronia spicata ''Forsteronia'' is a genus of plants in the family Apocynaceae, first described as a genus in 1818. It is native to South America, Central America, Mexico, and the West Indies The West Indies is a subregion of North America, surrounded by ...

'' (Jacq.) G.Mey.

Cultivation

A species from New Zealand, ''Parsonsia variablis'' (Variable-leaved Parsonsia), was introduced into cultivation in England in 1847 as a greenhouse plant and was noted to have a sweet scent, however the flowers were regarded as "not very showy". This species is thought to be a form of ''Parsonsia heterophylla''.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q5219581 Apocynaceae genera