Alyxia is a genus of flowering plants in the family, Apocynaceae. It contains at present 106 species, but Alyxia stellata and A. tisserantii are very variable, might be cryptic species complexes, and are need of further study. It consists of shrubby, climbing or scrambling plants. This genus occurs in China, the Himalayas, Southeast Asia, Australia, New Caledonia and the Pacific Islands. There are 14 species in Australia, 21 in New Caledonia and 7 in the other Pacific Islands, including Hawaii.Middleton (2000, 2001)
The leaves are opposite or in whorls of three to seven. There are colleters (groups or tufts of mucilaginous secretory hairs) present in the leaf axils. The inflorescence is axillary or terminal with solitary flowers or simple cymes. Flowers consist of five petals and five sepals. The flowers have a slender tube which expands abruptly. The stamens have short filaments and are inserted in the upper half of the corolla. The fruit is a pair of drupes, originating from each flower.
Dysentery bush (A. buxifolia) is used in herbalism and was made into a patented remedy by Albert Aspinall. Maile (A. oliviformis), endemic to the Hawaiian Islands, has sweet-smelling leaves and is much used for lei; formerly it was reserved for alii (nobility), but today it can be used by anyone and is a popular wedding decoration on the islands. Maile also provides food for Thyrocopa caterpillars and weevils of the genus Proterhinus. Alyxia spp. are also used in Jamu.
Species
, Plants of the World Online accepts the following 117 species:
Alyxia acuminata Alyxia angustifolia Alyxia angustissima Alyxia annamensis Alyxia arfakensis Alyxia baillonii Alyxia balansae Alyxia bracteolosa Alyxia buxifolia Alyxia cacuminum Alyxia caletioides Alyxia celastrinea Alyxia celebica Alyxia clusiophylla Alyxia composita Alyxia concatenata Alyxia cylindrocarpa Alyxia defoliata Alyxia dolioliflora Alyxia efatensis Alyxia erythrosperma Alyxia evansii Alyxia fascicularis Alyxia floribunda Alyxia funingensis Alyxia ganophylla Alyxia glaucophylla Alyxia globosa Alyxia graciliflora Alyxia gracilis Alyxia grandis Alyxia gynopogon Alyxia hainanensis Alyxia halmaheirae Alyxia humboldtensis Alyxia hurlimannii Alyxia ilicifolia Alyxia kaalaensis Alyxia kabaenae Alyxia kendarica Alyxia kwalotabaa Alyxia lackii Alyxia lamii Alyxia laurina Alyxia leucogyne Alyxia linearis Alyxia loeseneriana Alyxia longiloba Alyxia luzoniensis Alyxia magnifolia Alyxia manusiana Alyxia margaretae Alyxia marginata Alyxia markgrafii Alyxia menglungensis Alyxia microphylla Alyxia minimiflora Alyxia minutiflora Alyxia monticola Alyxia mucronata Alyxia muguma Alyxia mujongensis Alyxia multistriata Alyxia nathoi Alyxia nummularia Alyxia oblongata Alyxia obovatifolia Alyxia oleifolia Alyxia oppositifolia Alyxia orophila Alyxia oubatchensis Alyxia palawanensis Alyxia paniensis Alyxia papuana Alyxia parvifolia Alyxia pilosa Alyxia podocarpa Alyxia poyaensis Alyxia pseudoserpentina Alyxia pseudosinensis Alyxia pugio Alyxia pullei Alyxia punctata Alyxia purpureoclada Alyxia racemosa Alyxia reinwardtii Alyxia ridleyana Alyxia rosmarinifolia Alyxia rostrata Alyxia royeniana Alyxia rubricaulis Alyxia ruscifolia Alyxia samoensis Alyxia sarasinii Alyxia scabrida Alyxia schlechteri Alyxia semipallescens Alyxia sharpei Alyxia siamensis Alyxia sinensis Alyxia sleumeri Alyxia sogerensis Alyxia solomonensis Alyxia spicata Alyxia squamulosa Alyxia stellata Alyxia sulana Alyxia tetanifolia Alyxia tetraquetra Alyxia thailandica Alyxia tisserantii Alyxia torquata Alyxia tropica Alyxia uniflora Alyxia urceolata Alyxia veillonii Alyxia vera
References