The Genus Diplusodon (Lythraceae)

This book is a monograph on the genus Diplusodon, which is a shrub and subshrub found in the Cerrado Biome of Central Brazil. It has distinctive flowers and a unique fruit divided by a bipartite placenta. The genus has 104 species and eight varieties, with new information on various aspects of its biology and conservation status.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 516 pages
Publication date: 09 March 2023
Publisher: Springer Nature Switzerland AG

This comprehensive monograph delves into the fascinating world of the genus Diplusodon, a remarkable plant group within the Lythraceae family. Authored by the foremost authority on this plant family, it offers a detailed exploration of Diplusodon's unique characteristics and taxonomy. Diplusodon is a monophyletic genus comprising shrubs and subshrubs, characterized by its striking and showy 6-merous actinomorphic flowers adorned with distinctive floral tubes. These tubes feature alternating sepals and prominent epicalyx segments, adding to the genus' visual appeal. Notably, Diplusodon boasts a capsular fruit that distinguishes it from other members of the Lythraceae family. This fruit is divided by a bipartite placenta, with two semi-lunate septa, containing winged seeds. Diplusodon holds the second position among the largest genera within the Lythraceae and is predominantly found in the Cerrado Biome, a vast and floristically diverse savannah that spans over two million square kilometers of the Central Brazilian Plateau. This expansive ecosystem extends westward into Bolivia, southward to Paraguay, and eastward to the Caatinga. The genus Diplusodon is home to a total of 104 recognized species and eight varieties, for which 46 lectotypes, one neotype, one new status, and one new combination have been designated. Additionally, nine new species have been described, and 15 taxa have been synonymized. This monograph provides a wealth of new information on various aspects of Diplusodon's biology, including floral and vegetative morphology, pollen, cytology, chemistry, floral biology, and habitat. Detailed descriptions, illustrations, distribution maps, and conservation status assignments accompany the species keys, enhancing our understanding and appreciation of this remarkable plant family.

Weight: 807g
Dimension: 235 x 155 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9783030658779
Edition number: 1st ed. 2021