''Melanophylla'' 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 ...

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 ...

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsew ...

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 genus contains seven

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 small trees and shrubs. Under the

APG II system The APG II system (Angiosperm Phylogeny Group II system) of plant classification is the second, now obsolete, version of a modern, mostly molecular-based, system of plant taxonomy that was published in April 2003 by the Angiosperm Phylogeny Gro ...

this genus was placed alone in family Melanophyllaceae, but with the rider that " me of the families are monogeneric and could possibly be merged when well-supported sister-group relationships have been established." In 2004, such a relationship was established between ''Melanophylla'', ''

Aralidium ''Aralidium'' is a genus in the plant family Torricelliaceae. It includes the single species ''Aralidium pinnatifidum'', a small tree or shrub distributed in southeastern Asia, Malaysia, and Indonesia. Taxonomic placement of this genus has prov ...

'' and ''

Torricellia ''Torricellia'' is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the family Torricelliaceae. It is native to Eastern Himalaya, Nepal, Tibet, southern China and also Vietnam. Known species: * ''Torricellia angulata'' Oliv. * ''Torricellia tiliifolia' ...

'', resulting in the transfer of the first two of these genera into

Torricelliaceae The Torricelliaceae are a family of trees native to Madagascar and southwest Asia. It contains three genera, '' Aralidium'', '' Melanophylla'' and '' Torricellia''. Under the APG II system, each of these genera was placed in its own family, but w ...

. ;Species * '' Melanophylla alnifolia''

Baker A baker is a tradesperson who bakes and sometimes sells breads and other products made of flour by using an oven or other concentrated heat source. The place where a baker works is called a bakery. History Ancient history Since grains ha ...

* '' Melanophylla angustior'' McPherson & Rabenantoandro * '' Melanophylla aucubifolia''

* '' Melanophylla crenata''

* '' Melanophylla madagascariensis'' Keraudren * '' Melanophylla modestei'' G.E.Schatz, Lowry & A.-E.Wolf * '' Melanophylla perrieri'' Keraudren

References

External links

Melanophyllaceae at the DELTA plant database''Melanophylla'' in a catalogue of Vascular Plants of Madagascar @ efloras.org''Melanophylla angustior'' (Melanophyllaceae), a new species from southeastern Madagascar (PDF file)
Endemic flora of Madagascar Apiales genera Taxa named by John Gilbert Baker {{Apiales-stub