Kingdom Plantae Family Lactoridaceae Scientific name Lactoris fernandeziana Rank Species | Order Piperales Genus Lactoris
Phil. Higher classification Lactoris | |
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Similar Lactoridaceae, Thottea, Saruma, Piperales, Hydnoraceae | ||
Lactoris fernandeziana is a flowering shrub endemic to the cloud forest of Masatierra — Robinson Crusoe Island, of the Juan Fernández Islands archipelago of Chile.
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Taxonomy
It was formerly placed in Aristolochiaceae, but as of the APG III (2009) is now placed alone in the family Lactoridaceae, in the order Piperales.
Morphological data are not clear concerning the classification of Lactoris, but molecular data place it in the Aristolochiaceae.
Description
Lactoris fernandeziana seems to be wind-pollinated. The wild population of about 1000 plants has low genetic diversity, and grows on foggy and rainy slopes, usually as an understory plant but sometimes in full sun.
Cultivation of seedlings has generally been unsuccessful, although cuttings have worked better and better knowledge of preferred growing conditions may make cultivation easier.
In the fossil record, pollen has been found which seems to be related to the living Lactoris species.
