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Abuta

Abuta
Abuta selloana: Illustrations A-F from A. Engler, Das Pflanzenreich 46
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Order:	Ranunculales
Family:	Menispermaceae
Genus:	Abuta Aubl.
Species
See text

Abuta is a genus in the flowering plant family Menispermaceae, of about 32 species, native to tropical Central and South America.

Description[edit]

It consists in dioecious climbers or rarely erect treesorshrubs (Abuta concolor) with simple leaves. Flowers in composed panicles. Male flowers: sepals 6, in 2 whorls, petals absent, stamens 6, connate or free, introrse, anthers with a longitudinal or transverse dehiscence. Female flowers: sepals and petals as in male, staminodes 6, carpels 3, drupes ovoid, endocarp woody, condyle septiform, endosperm ruminate, embryo curved, cotyledons appressed. It inhabits tropical rain forests.

Taxonomy[edit]

Abuta is usually classified in the tribe Anomospermeae Miers, together with Anomospermum Miers.

Synonymy[edit]

The genera Anelasma Miers and Batschia Thunb. have been brought into synonymy with Abuta.

Uses[edit]

Abuta is one of the components of the arrow poison curare of some indigenous tribes of South America (especially Abuta imene from Colombia). Roots of Abuta rufescens are used as medicinal in diseases of the urogenital tract, but it is dangerous.^[1]

Species[edit]

Species accepted by Plants of the World Online as of March 2024:^[2]

References[edit]

Further reading[edit]

• Diels, L. (1910). "Menispermaceae". In Engler, A. (ed.). Das Pflanzenreich (in Latin and German). Vol. IV.94 (Fasc. 46). Leipzig (Germany): Engelmann. [monographic revision of the genus]
• Barneby, R. C.; Krukoff, B. A. (1971). "Supplementary Notes on American Menispermaceae VIII. A Generic Survey of the American Triclisieae and Anomospermeae". Memoirs of the New York Botanical Garden. 22 (2): 30–52. ISBN 978-0-89327-075-9. [taxonomic partial revision]
• Kessler, P. J. A. (1993). Kubitzki, K. (ed.). Flowering plants, dicotyledons : magnoliid, hamamelid, and caryophyllid families. The Families and Genera of Vascular Plants. Vol. 2. Berlin: Springer-Verlag. ISBN 3-540-55509-9. LCCN 93019190.

External links[edit]

• Images of Abuta panamensis from La Flora Digital de La Selva, Costa Rica

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