''Pentaphragma'' is a genus of flowering plants. ''Pentaphragma'' is the sole genus in Pentaphragmataceae, a

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 ...

in the

order Order, ORDER or Orders may refer to: * Categorization, the process in which ideas and objects are recognized, differentiated, and understood * Heterarchy, a system of organization wherein the elements have the potential to be ranked a number of d ...

Asterales Asterales () is an order of dicotyledonous flowering plants that includes the large family Asteraceae (or Compositae) known for composite flowers made of florets, and ten families related to the Asteraceae. While asterids in general are chara ...

. These species are fleshy

herb In general use, herbs are a widely distributed and widespread group of plants, excluding vegetables and other plants consumed for macronutrients, with savory or aromatic properties that are used for flavoring and garnishing food, for medicinal ...

s, with asymmetrical leaf blades. They are found in

Southeast Asia Southeast Asia, also spelled South East Asia and South-East Asia, and also known as Southeastern Asia, South-eastern Asia or SEA, is the geographical United Nations geoscheme for Asia#South-eastern Asia, south-eastern region of Asia, consistin ...

. ''Pentaphragma'' is rayless, but eventually develops rays in at least one of the species studied. This is interpreted as related to secondary woodiness or upright habit within a predominantly herbaceous phylad. The vessel elements of ''Pentaphragma'' have features universally interpreted as primitive in dicotyledons: scalariform perforation plates with numerous bars; pit membrane remnants in perforations; scalariform lateral wall pitting; the genus also has fiber-tracheids with prominently bordered pits. The presence of occasional scalariform perforation plates, often aberrant, in secondary xylem of families of Asterales sensu lato - Campanulaceae, Pentaphragmataceae, Valerianaceae, and even Asteraceae (e.g., certain Lactuceae) - can be attributed to paedomorphosis, extending these plates into secondary xylem from primary xylem. Raylessness in ''Pentaphragma'' can be described in terms of secondary woodiness or paedomorphosis. The fact that fiber-tracheids are shorter than vessel elements in ''Pentaphragma'' is believed related to raylessness also, because some fiber-tracheids are produced from 'potential' ray areas.

Species

* ''

Pentaphragma bicolor ''Pentaphragma'' is a genus of flowering plants. ''Pentaphragma'' is the sole genus in Pentaphragmataceae, a family in the order Asterales. These species are fleshy herbs, with asymmetrical leaf blades. They are found in Southeast Asia Sout ...

'' * '' Pentaphragma pendula'' * '' Pentaphragma longisepalum'' * '' Pentaphragma lambirense'' * '' Pentaphragma prostratum''Alt URL
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References

External links

Asterales genera Asterales {{Asterales-stub