Bryophyllum

''Bryophyllum'' (from the Greek ''bryon/bryein'' = sprout, ''phyllon'' = leaf) is a group of plant species of the family Crassulaceae native to Madagascar.
It is a section or subgenus within the genus ''Kalanchoe'', and was formerly placed at the level of genus.
This section is notable for vegetatively growing small plantlets on the fringes of the leaves; these eventually drop off and root. These plantlets arise from mitosis of meristematic-type tissue in notches in the leaves.

Nowadays, bryophyllums are naturalized in many parts of the tropics and subtropics, and deliberately cultivated for their attractiveness or for their interesting reproduction as a vegetative reproductive plant.

Taxonomy

Species of ''Bryophyllum'' are nested within ''Kalanchoe'' on molecular phylogenetic analysis. Therefore, ''Bryophyllum'' should be a section of ''Kalanchoe'' rather than a separate genus.

The number of species within ''Bryophyllum'' varies with definitions of this section. ''Bryophyllum'' used to include not only species that produce plantlets on the leaf margin, but also many species that lack this character such as '' K. manginii'' and '' K. porphyrocalyx''. However, the broadly defined ''Bryophyllum'' is polyphyletic. Bernard Descoings redefined ''Bryophyllum'' as 26 species, and molecular phylogenetic analysis shows that his definition is almost monophyletic, except that '' K. beauverdii'' (hence as well as its hybrid ''K.'' × ''poincarei'') and '' K. delagoensis'' (hence as well as its hybrids ''K.'' × ''houghtonii'' and ''K.'' × ''richaudii'') should be included and '' K. pubescens'' excluded. Therefore, ''Bryophyllum'' comprises about 30 species:
* '' Kalanchoe beauverdii''
* '' Kalanchoe bogneri''
* ''Kalanchoe cymbifolia''
* ''Kalanchoe daigremontiana''
* '' Kalanchoe delagoensis''
* '' Kalanchoe fedtschenkoi''
* '' Kalanchoe gastonis-bonnieri''
* ''Kalanchoe'' × ''houghtonii'': ''K. daigremontiana'' × ''K. delagoensis''
* '' Kalanchoe humifica''
* ''Kalanchoe'' × ''laetivirens'': ''K. daigremontiana'' × ''K.'' sp. (probably ''K. laxiflora'')
* '' Kalanchoe laxiflora''
* ''Kalanchoe'' × ''lokarana'': ''K. laxiflora'' × ''K.'' sp.
* '' Kalanchoe macrochlamys''
* '' Kalanchoe marnieriana''
* '' Kalanchoe maromokotrensis''
* ''Kalanchoe mortagei''
* '' Kalanchoe peltigera''
* ''Kalanchoe pinnata''
* ''Kalanchoe'' × ''poincarei'': ''K. beauverdii'' × ''K.'' sp.
* ''Kalanchoe prolifera''
* ''Kalanchoe'' × ''rechingeri'': ''K. beauverdii'' × ''K.'' sp. (''K. delagoensis'' or ''K. rosei'')
* ''Kalanchoe'' × ''richaudii'': ''K. delagoensis'' × ''K. rosei''
* ''Kalanchoe rosei''
* '' Kalanchoe rubella''
* '' Kalanchoe sanctula''
* '' Kalanchoe serrata''
* '' Kalanchoe streptantha''
* '' Kalanchoe suarezensis''
* '' Kalanchoe tenuiflora''
* ''Kalanchoe waldheimii''

Toxicity

Several species of ''Kalanchoe'' are economically important for causing cardiotoxic effects in sheep and cattle, and diseases affecting the nervous system and muscles known as '' krimpsiekte'' ("shrinking disease") or as cotyledonosis. ''Kalanchoe pinnata'' may have similar chemical components, bufadienolide alkaloids.Steyn, Pieter S & van Heerden, Fanie R. (1998): "Bufadienolides of plant and animal origin". '' Natural Product Reports'' 15(4): 397–413.
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References

External links

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{{Taxonbar, from=Q994718

Crassulaceae genera