Edgeworthia
Genus of flowering plants
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Edgeworthia (paper bush) is a genus of plants in the family Thymelaeaceae. When the genus was first described, it was published twice in the same year (1841), in two separate publications: Plantarum vascularium genera: secundum ordines naturales digesta eorumque differentiae et affinitates tabulis diagnostacis expositae;[1] and Denkschriften der Regensburgischen Botanischen Gesellschaft.[2] The genus was named in honour of Michael Pakenham Edgeworth, an Irish botanist and official in the Bengal Civil Service, then stationed in India, and for his half-sister, writer Maria Edgeworth.[2]
| Edgeworthia | |
|---|---|
| |
| E. chrysantha (synon. E. papyrifera, E. tomentosa) | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Malvales |
| Family: | Thymelaeaceae |
| Subfamily: | Thymelaeoideae |
| Genus: | Edgeworthia Meisn.[1][2] |
| Type species | |
| Edgeworthia gardneri [3] | |
| Species | |
|
See text | |
Trichotomous branching
At least one member of the genus, Edgeworthia chrysantha, has the extremely unusual ability to branch trichotomously - the apical meristem forming the end of each stem splits into three sections at once, leading to its Japanese name mitsumata (三椏, three-fork).[4] This trait is shared with no other known flowering plant.[5]
Species
Species list from both GRIN[6] and ThePlantList[7]
| Image | Scientific name | Distribution |
|---|---|---|
| Edgeworthia albiflora Nakai | Sichuan, China | |
 | Edgeworthia chrysantha Lindl. | Myanmar, south and southwestern China[8] |
| Edgeworthia eriosolenoides K.M.Feng & S.C.Huang | SE Yunnan, China | |
 | Edgeworthia gardneri (Wall.) Meisn. | Bhutan, India, N Myanmar, Nepal, China(E Xizang, NW Yunnan), Vietnam |
| Edgeworthia longipes Lace | Myanmar, India | |
