''Rhynchophora'' 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 ...
in the
Malpighiaceae
Malpighiaceae is a family of flowering plants in the order Malpighiales. It comprises about 73 genera and 1315 species, all of which are native to the tropics and subtropics. About 80% of the genera and 90% of the species occur in the New World ( ...
, 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 ...
of about 75 genera 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 order
Malpighiales. ''Rhynchophora'' comprises two
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 slender woody vines native to
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 distinctive three to four-winged fruit resembles a helicopter and is unique in the family.
External links and reference
MalpighiaceaeMalpighiaceae - description, taxonomy, phylogeny, and nomenclature
*Anderson, W. R. 2001. Observations on the Malagasy genus ''Rhynchophora'' (Malpighiaceae). Contributions from the University of Michigan Herbarium 23: 53–58.
Malpighiaceae
Malpighiaceae genera
{{Malpighiaceae-stub