Archboldiodendron

Archboldiodendron is a genus of flowering plants in the family Euphorbiaceae. It was first described as a genus in 1941. The genus is native to New Guinea and the Solomon Islands.

Description

Archboldiodendron species are trees, which are dioecious with male and female flowers on separate plants. The leaves are simple, alternate, stipulate, and entire. The flowers are arranged in racemes, with male flowers having multiple stamens, while female flowers have a single carpel.

Species

The genus contains the following species:

• Archboldiodendron actinophyllum
• Archboldiodendron arfakianum
• Archboldiodendron gajumalense
• Archboldiodendron meekii
• Archboldiodendron papuanum

Taxonomy

The genus was first described by the Dutch botanist André Joseph Guillaume Henri Kostermans in 1941. The type species is Archboldiodendron meekii. The genus name is in honor of the American explorer Richard Archbold, who sponsored several biological expeditions to New Guinea in the 1930s.

Distribution and habitat

Archboldiodendron species are native to New Guinea and the Solomon Islands. They grow in tropical rainforests at altitudes of 0–1,500 metres (0–4,921 ft) above sea level.

Conservation

Several species of Archboldiodendron are considered threatened due to habitat loss. The main threats are deforestation for timber extraction and conversion of land to agriculture.

External links

• The Plant List: Archboldiodendron
• Tropicos: Archboldiodendron