Nesocodon is a monotypic genus of flowering plants within the family Campanulaceae. The sole species is Nesocodon mauritianus, formerly known as Wahlenbergia mauritiana, which is endemic to the island of Mauritius.
Description Vegetative characteristics Nesocodon mauritianus is a 30–40 cm big dwarf shrubThulin, M. (1980). Nesocodon, a New Genus in Campanulaceae. Kew Bulletin, 34(4), 813–814. https://doi.org/10.2307/4119073 with simple, woody, straggly, glabrous stems bearing deep furrows from leaf scars. The spirally arranged, glossy,Coleman, M. (2017, July 6). Nesocodon mauritianus. Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh. Retrieved July 26, 2025, from https://stories.rbge.org.uk/archives/25796 lanceolate leaves with a serrate margin and an acute apex are 6 cm long, and 0.6 cm wide.
Generative characteristics The lateral, 1-flowered inflorescence is produced in the leaf axils of the upper leaves.
Taxonomy It was first described as Wahlenbergia mauritiana by I.Richardson in 1979. Richardson, I. B. K. (1979). A Distinctive New Species of Wahlenbergia (Campanulaceae) from Mauritius. Kew Bulletin, 33(4), 547–550. https://doi.org/10.2307/4109796Wahlenbergia mauritiana I.Richardson. (n.d.). International Plant Names Index. Retrieved July 26, 2025, from https://www.ipni.org/n/145835-1 It was placed into a new monotypic genus Nesocodon as Nesocodon mauritianus by Mats Thulin in 1980.Nesocodon Thulin. (n.d.). Plants of the World Online. Retrieved July 26, 2025, from https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:5769-1 It is closely related to Heterochaenia from the Mascarene Islands, but has single flowers rather than panicles of several.
Ecology It was the first plant ever discovered to produce red-colored nectar. It was originally thought to have been pollinated by birds, however, recent investigations have demonstrated that day geckos (Phelsuma ornata) are the preferred pollinator of these flowers whereas birds function as nectar thieves.Mauritian coloured nectar no longer a mystery: a visual signal for lizard pollinators. Dennis M Hansen, Karin Beer, Christine B Müller Published 22 June 2006.DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2006.0458 The introduced red-whiskered bulbul (Pycnonotus jocosus) robs it of its nectar.Olesen, J. M., et al. (1998). Mauritian red nectar remains a mystery. Nature 393, 529.
Conservation It is a threatened species.
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