PlantaeDB Logo
Login Sign-up

Genus Charpentiera in Family Amaranthaceae

In botanical taxonomy, a genus (plural genera) is a rank used to group closely related species within a family. In the hierarchy, genus sits below family and above species.

Genera are defined by shared morphological, anatomical, and genetic characteristics (for example, features of flowers, fruits, seeds, or leaves) that indicate a close evolutionary relationship among the species they contain.

Each genus can include one or more species. Examples include Rosa (roses) and Solanum (nightshades, including tomato and eggplant).

Do you wish to read more about plant taxonomy? Click here!

Genus Description

Suggest a correction!

Charpentiera Gaudich. (family Amaranthaceae; POWO, 2024; WFO, 2024) comprises approximately 6 species of shrubs and small trees endemic to the tropical Pacific islands, including the Hawaiian Islands, Samoa, and French Polynesia (Florence et al., 2007). The type species is C. obovata Gaudich. (Florence et al., 2007). These plants are characteristic of lowland coastal and dry forest habitats.

The genus is diagnosed by its woody habit (lianas absent), entire leaves lacking stipules, and flowers arranged in dense, bractless glomerules forming compound spikes or panicles (Florence et al., 2007). Flowers are typically wind-pollinated (Bruce, 1959). The ovary is superior and contains a single, basal ovule; the fruit is a small, indehiscent utricle (Florence et al., 2007). Seeds possess a curved embryo, typical of many Amaranthaceae (Aellen, 1965).

Diversity is centered in the Hawaiian archipelago, where multiple endemic species occur, with C. australis (with subspecies C. a. ssp. australis in Samoa and C. a. ssp. cycladensis in the Marquesas) also present (Florence et al., 2007; WFO, 2024). Species typically inhabit dry to moist coastal shrubland or forest, often on limestone soils or lava flows (Florence et al., 2007; Bruce, 1959).

Known pollination syndromes align with wind dispersal (Bruce, 1959). Fruits are small and likely dispersed by gravity or water (hydrochory) due to their coastal habitat, though specific mechanisms are not well-documented (Bruce, 1959). Chromosome number is reported as n=17 in C. australis (Miller & Howell, 1969).

Taxonomically, Charpentiera is placed within the subfamily Amaranthoideae, though its position is not definitively resolved (APG IV, 2016). No subgeneric or sectional divisions are widely recognized (Florence et al., 2007). It has been treated in synonymy under Volvox by some authors (Fosberg, 1943; Aellen, 1965), but the distinctiveness of its woody habit and inflorescence structure supports generic recognition (Florence et al., 2007; Bruce, 1959).

Human relevance is limited; the species are primarily of scientific and horticultural interest as part of Pacific island flora (WFO, 2024). Conservation status varies by species and island, with some facing habitat loss, but comprehensive assessments are lacking (Florence et al., 2007). While secure overall, research gaps remain regarding population dynamics and threats, particularly in remote Polynesian islands. Future research should prioritize island-specific conservation and clarification of phylogeny within the Amaranthoideae (APG IV, 2016).

Pick a Species to see its components: