Persea - Revision history

Raffi at 01:31, 7 July 2009

2009-07-07T01:31:36Z

Kpdhage at 13:48, 6 July 2009

2009-07-06T13:48:08Z

Envoy at 09:59, 15 October 2007

2007-10-15T09:59:18Z

New page

{{Taxobox
| color = lightgreen
| name = ''Persea''
| image = Persea borbonia.jpg
| image_width = 240px
| image_caption = ''Persea borbonia'' foliage and fruit
| regnum = [[Plant]]ae
| divisio = [[Flowering plant|Magnoliophyta]]
| classis = [[Magnoliopsida]]
| ordo = [[Laurales]]
| familia = [[Lauraceae]]
| genus = ''Persea''
| subdivision_ranks = [[Species]]
| subdivision =
See text.
}}

'''''Persea''''' is a [[genus]] of about 150 species of [[evergreen]] [[trees]] belonging to the laurel family, [[Lauraceae]]. The best-known member of the genus is the [[Avocado]] ''P. americana'', widely cultivated in subtropical regions for its large, edible [[fruit]].

They are medium-size trees, 15-30 m tall at maturity. The [[leaf|leaves]] are simple, lanceolate to broad lanceolate, varying with species from 5-30 cm long and 2-12 cm broad, and arranged spirally or alternately on the stems. The [[flower]]s are in short panicles, with six small greenish-yellow perianth segments 3-6 mm long, nine stamens and an ovary with a single embryo. The [[fruit]] is an oval or pear-shaped [[drupe]], with a fleshy outer covering surrounding the single [[seed]]; size is very variable between the species, from 1-1.5 cm in e.g. ''P. borbonia'' and ''P. indica'', up to 10-20 cm in ''P. americana''.

The species of ''Persea'' have a disjunct distribution, with about 70 [[Neotropic]] species, ranging from [[Brazil]] and [[Chile]] in [[South America]] to [[Central America]] and [[Mexico]], the [[West Indies]], and the southeastern [[United States]]; a single species, ''P. indica'', [[endemic (ecology)|endemic]] to the [[Macaronesia]]n islands, including [[Madeira]] and the [[Canary Islands]]; and 80 species inhabiting [[East Asia|east]] and [[Southeast Asia|southeast]] [[Asia]]. None of the species is very tolerant of severe winter cold, with the hardiest, ''P. borbonia'', ''P. ichangensis'' and ''P. lingue'', surviving temperatures down to about -12°C; they also require continuously moist soil, and do not tolerate drought.

Fossil evidence indicates that the genus originated in [[West Africa]] during the [[Paleocene]], and spread to Asia, to South America, and to Europe and thence to [[North America]]. It is thought that the gradual drying of Africa, west Asia, and the [[Mediterranean]] from the [[Oligocene]] to the [[Pleistocene]], and the [[glaciation]] of [[Europe]] during the Pleistocene, caused the extinction of the genus across these regions, resulting in the present distribution.

''Persea'' species are used as food plants by the [[larva]]e of some [[Lepidoptera]] species including [[Giant Leopard Moth]], ''[[Coleophora|Coleophora octagonella]]'' (feeds exclusively on ''P. carolinensis'') and ''[[Hypercompe|Hypercompe indecisa]]''.

===Classification===
The genus ''Persea'' is treated in three subgenera. The Asian subgenus ''Machilus'' is treated in a separate genus '''''Machilus''''' by many authors, including in the ''Flora of China'', while graft-incompatibility between subgenus ''Persea'' and subgenus ''Eriodaphne'' suggests that these too may be better treated as distinct genera, in fact [[André Joseph Guillaume Henri Kostermans|Kostermans]] (1993) founded the genus ''Mutisiopersea'' for these. Another closely related genus ''[[Beilschmiedia]]'' is also sometimes included in ''Persea''.

;Subgenus ''Persea'' - [[Central America]]. Two species.
*''[[Avocado|Persea americana]]'' - Avocado
**''Persea americana'' var. ''drymifolia''
**''Persea americana'' var. ''floccosa''
**''Persea americana'' var. ''guatemalensis''
**''Persea americana'' var. ''nubigena''
**''Persea americana'' var. ''steyermarkii''
*''[[Persea schiedeana]]'' - Coyo

;Subgenus ''Eriodaphne'' (''Mutisiopersea'') - [[The Americas]], [[Macaronesia]]. About 70 species, including:
*''[[Persea alpigena]]''
*''[[Persea borbonia]]'' – Redbay
*''[[Persea caerulea]]''
*''[[Persea cinerascens]]''
*''[[Persea donnell-smithii]]''
*''[[Persea indica]]'' – Viñátigo (possibly better treated in a fourth subgenus of its own)
*''[[Persea lingue]]'' – Lingue
*''[[Persea longipes]]''
*''[[Persea palustris]]'' – Swampbay
*''[[Persea skutchii]]''

;Subgenus ''Machilus'' - [[Asia]]. About 80 species, including:
*''Persea edulis''
*''Persea ichangensis''
*''Persea japonica''
*''Persea macrantha''
*''Persea nanmu''
*''Persea thunbergii''
*''Persea yunnanensis''

==References and external links==
*[[André Joseph Guillaume Henri Kostermans|Kostermans, A. J. G .H.]] (1993). Mutisiopersea Kostermans, a new genus in Lauraceae. ''Rheedea'' 3: 132–135.
*Kopp, Lucille E. (1966) "A taxonomic revision of the genus Persea in the Western Hemisphere (''Persea-Lauracese'')" ''Memoirs of the New York Botanical Garden'' 14(1): pp. 1-117
*[http://www.avocadosource.com Avocado source] Extensive information on the [[Avocado]] and the genus generally, particularly the subgenera ''Persea'' and ''Eriodaphne''
*[http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=124627 Flora of North America: ''Persea'']
*[http://www.efloras.org/browse.aspx?flora_id=3&start_taxon_id=119262 Flora of China: ''Machilus''] Full list of species in ''Machilus'' in China

[[Category:Laurales]]

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 {{Inc|
 Persea (ancient Greek name of an Egyptian tree with sweet fruit;
@@ Line 38: / Line 65: @@
 Nees, and P. Meyeniana, Nees, are two species which have recently
 been intro. to the U. S. from Chile.
-F.W.Popenoe.
+{{SCH}}
 }}
-{{Taxobox
+==Cultivation==
-| color = lightgreen
+{{edit-cult}}<!--- Type cultivation info below this line, then delete this entire line -->
-'''''Persea''''' is a [[genus]] of about 150 species of [[evergreen]] [[trees]] belonging to the laurel family, [[Lauraceae]]. The best-known member of the genus is the [[Avocado]] ''P. americana'', widely cultivated in subtropical regions for its large, edible [[fruit]].
+===Propagation===
-They are medium-size trees, 15-30 m tall at maturity. The [[leaf|leaves]] are simple, lanceolate to broad lanceolate, varying with species from 5-30 cm long and 2-12 cm broad, and arranged spirally or alternately on the stems. The [[flower]]s are in short panicles, with six small greenish-yellow perianth segments 3-6 mm long, nine stamens and an ovary with a single embryo. The [[fruit]] is an oval or pear-shaped [[drupe]], with a fleshy outer covering surrounding the single [[seed]]; size is very variable between the species, from 1-1.5 cm in e.g. ''P. borbonia'' and ''P. indica'', up to 10-20 cm in ''P. americana''.
+===Pests and diseases===
-The species of ''Persea'' have a disjunct distribution, with about 70 [[Neotropic]] species, ranging from [[Brazil]] and [[Chile]] in [[South America]] to [[Central America]] and [[Mexico]], the [[West Indies]], and the southeastern [[United States]]; a single species, ''P. indica'', [[endemic (ecology)|endemic]] to the [[Macaronesia]]n islands, including [[Madeira]] and the [[Canary Islands]]; and 80 species inhabiting [[East Asia|east]] and [[Southeast Asia|southeast]] [[Asia]]. None of the species is very tolerant of severe winter cold, with the hardiest, ''P. borbonia'', ''P. ichangensis'' and ''P. lingue'', surviving temperatures down to about -12°C; they also require continuously moist soil, and do not tolerate drought.
+==Species==
+The genus ''Persea'' is treated in three subgenera{{SCH}}. The Asian subgenus ''Machilus'' is treated in a separate genus '''''Machilus''''' by many authors, including in the ''Flora of China'', while graft-incompatibility between subgenus ''Persea'' and subgenus ''Eriodaphne'' suggests that these too may be better treated as distinct genera, in fact [[André Joseph Guillaume Henri Kostermans|Kostermans]] (1993) founded the genus ''Mutisiopersea'' for these{{SCH}}. Another closely related genus ''[[Beilschmiedia]]'' is also sometimes included in ''Persea''{{SCH}}.
 ;Subgenus ''Persea'' - [[Central America]]. Two species.
@@ Line 101: / Line 110: @@
 *''Persea yunnanensis''
-==References and external links==
+==Gallery==
-*[[André Joseph Guillaume Henri Kostermans|Kostermans, A. J. G .H.]] (1993). Mutisiopersea Kostermans, a new genus in Lauraceae. ''Rheedea'' 3: 132–135.
+{{photo-sources}}<!-- remove this line if there are already 3 or more photos in the gallery  -->
-*Kopp, Lucille E. (1966) "A taxonomic revision of the genus Persea in the Western Hemisphere (''Persea-Lauracese'')" ''Memoirs of the New York Botanical Garden'' 14(1): pp. 1-117
-*[http://www.avocadosource.com Avocado source] Extensive information on the [[Avocado]] and the genus generally, particularly the subgenera ''Persea'' and ''Eriodaphne''
+<gallery>
-*[http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=124627 Flora of North America: ''Persea'']
+Image:Upload.png| photo 1
-*[http://www.efloras.org/browse.aspx?flora_id=3&start_taxon_id=119262 Flora of China: ''Machilus''] Full list of species in ''Machilus'' in China
+Image:Upload.png| photo 2
-[[Category:Laurales]]
+<!--  in order to add all the proper categories, go to http://www.plants.am/wiki/Plant_Categories and copy/paste the contents of the page here, and then follow the easy instructions!    -->

← Older revision		Revision as of 13:48, 6 July 2009
Line 1:		Line 1:
		+	{{Inc\|
		+	Persea (ancient Greek name of an Egyptian tree with sweet fruit;
		+	derivation unknown, probably from Perseus). Lauraceae. Woody plants
		+	sometimes grown for ornament; and one of them yields the avocado, one
		+	of the best of the semi-tropical fruits.
		+
		+	Leaves alternate, entire: fls. small, hermaphrodite, usually in
		+	panicles; corolla wanting, the calyx deeply 6-parted; stamens usually
		+	12, in 4 series, with one series sterile; ovary sessile and tapering
		+	into a slender style bearing a simple stigma.—Shrubs and trees
		+	distributed throughout the tropics and subtropics, most of the
		+	species being confined to S. Amer., but one coming from the Canary
		+	Isls. and a few from S. E. Asia. As defined by Bentham & Hooker, the
		+	genus contains about 100 species, but Meissner (DC. Prodr. 15, pt. 1.
		+	43) distributes some of the species in other genera and retains only
		+	50 in Persea. Mez, in his monograph on the American Lauraceae:
		+	(Jahrb. Konigl. Bot. Gart. 1889, 5. 135), describes 47 American
		+	species. P. gratissima, the avocado, widely cult, throughout Trop.
		+	Amer. and elsewhere for its fr., is the only species of great
		+	economic importance. Others are of ornamental value, and may prove
		+	useful as stocks upon which to bud or graft the avocado, although
		+	experiments have not been very encouraging up to the present. P.
		+	Borbonia grows naturally as far north as N. C.; P. indica is now and
		+	then seen in cult, in Fla. and Calif. Some of the Cent. American
		+	types referred to P. gratissima seem distinct, and may be found to
		+	constitute good species.
		+
		+	P. drymifolia, Cham. & Schlect,, is now considered to be a form of P.
		+	gratissima; it is the type with anise-scented lvs. and small,
		+	thin-skinned frs. described above as Mexican. Mez recognizes it as a
		+	botanical variety and describes it along with another variety,
		+	P.gratissima var. Schiediana,also indigenous to Mex-The hardy avocado
		+	or yas of San Jose,Costa Rica has been referred by Werekle to
		+	P.frigida Lind., but this name is of doubtful validity. The fr. is
		+	figured by Collins (Bull. 77, Bur. Pl. Ind.), and is said to be of
		+	possible value for hybridization with more tender species. It is
		+	spherical, about 3 in. diam., with a very large seed.—P. lingue,
		+	Nees, and P. Meyeniana, Nees, are two species which have recently
		+	been intro. to the U. S. from Chile.
		+	F.W.Popenoe.
		+	}}
		+
	{{Taxobox		{{Taxobox
	\| color = lightgreen		\| color = lightgreen