Alstonia
Content
Description
Shrubs or trees.
Leaves in whorls (in Malesia);
Inflorescence compound, cymose, terminal, pedunculate, frequently in whorls or umbellate, few- to many-flowered.
Flowers 5-merous, actinomorphic, mostly fragrant.
Sepals without colleters in the axils.
Stamens free from the pistil;
Fruit a pair of follicles (a single 2-celled follicle only in A. rostrata).
Seeds numerous, elliptic, narrowly elliptic or oblong, ends rounded to acuminate, or caudate, glabrous or pubescent, long cilia forming a coma of simple hairs.
Distribution
Asia-Tropical, from the Himalayas and China to New South Wales, Australia present, from tropical Africa to Central America present
The genus has 43 species, ranging from tropical Africa to Central America, and from the Himalayas and China to New South Wales, Australia. However, it is likely that the Central American species should be removed from Alstonia, and the genus Tonduzia resurrected, as molecular work shows them not to be at all closely related (Endress, pers. comm.). In Malesia 16 species in two sections, sect. Alstonia and sect. Monuraspermum.
Citation
R.Br. 1811 – In: Mem. Wern. Nat. Hist. Soc.: 75
Monach. 1949 – In: Pacific Sci.: 137
Benth. & Hook.f. 1876 – In: Gen. Pl.: 705
Backer & Bakh.f. 1965 – In: Fl. Java: 226
Benth. & Hook.f. 1876 – In: Gen. Pl.: 695
H. Huber 1983 – In: Abeyw. (ed.), Revis. Handb. Fl. Ceylon 4: 40
Pit. 1933 – In: Lecomte, Fl. Indo-Chine 3: 1161
Pichon 1947 – In: Bull. Mus. Hist. Nat. (Paris): 294
H. Huber 1973 – In: Abeyw. (ed.), Revis. Handb. Fl. Ceylon 1: 11
Pichon 1950 – In: Mém. Mus. Natl. Hist. Nat.: 168
Pichon 1947 – In: Bull. Mus. Hist. Nat. (Paris): 298
P.T. Li et al. 1995 – In: Fl. China: 154
R.Br. 1993 – In: PROSEA: 82
Pichon 1947 – In: Bull. Mus. Hist. Nat. (Paris): 300
Tsiang & P.T. Li 1977 – In: Fl. Reipubl. Popularis Sin.: 88
Lý 1986 – In: Feddes Repert.: 613
R.Br. 2001 – In: PROSEA: 61
D.J. Middleton 1999 – In: Fl. Thailand: 41
D.J. Middleton 2004 – In: Tree Fl. Sabah & Sarawak: 14
Backer & Bakh.f. 1965 – In: Fl. Java: 226
Kochummen & Wong 1984 – In: Blumea: 515
Pit. 1933 – In: Lecomte, Fl. Indo-Chine 3: 1100
Sidiy. 1998 – In: Blumea: 77
Cockburn 1976 – In: Trees Sabah: 15
K. Schum. 1895 – In: Engl. & Prantl, Nat. Pflanzenfam. 4: 138
Lý 1986 – In: Feddes Repert.: 610
Lý 1986 – In: Feddes Repert.: 615
K. Schum. 1895 – In: Engl. & Prantl, Nat. Pflanzenfam. 4: 125
Tsiang & P.T. Li 1977 – In: Fl. Reipubl. Popularis Sin.: 95