Peltophorum is a genus of 5–15 species of flowering plants in the family Fabaceae, subfamily Caesalpinioideae.[2] The genus is native to certain tropical regions across the world, including northern South America, central and southern Africa, Indochina, southeastern China, Malesia, New Guinea, and northern Australia.[1] The species are medium-sized to large trees growing up to 15–25 m tall, rarely 50 m.[3][4]

Peltophorum
Peltophorum pterocarpum
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Embryophytes
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Spermatophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Fabales
Family: Fabaceae
Subfamily: Caesalpinioideae
Genus: Peltophorum
(Vogel) Benth.
Type species
Peltophorum vogelianum
Synonyms[1]

Baryxylum Lour.

Etymology

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Peltophorum literally means "shield-bearing": from Greek pelt(ē) (πέλτη, "peltē shield"), with the interfix -o-, -phor(os) ("bearing") and Neo-Latin suffix -um.

It is a reference to the peltate (shield-like) form of the plant's stigma.[5]

Species

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As of September 2023, the following species were accepted by Plants of the World Online:[1]

References

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  1. 1 2 3 "Peltophorum (Vogel) Benth." Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 14 September 2023.
  2. The Legume Phylogeny Working Group (LPWG). (2017). "A new subfamily classification of the Leguminosae based on a taxonomically comprehensive phylogeny". Taxon. 66 (1): 44–77. doi:10.12705/661.3. hdl:10568/90658.
  3. Germplasm Resources Information Network: Peltophorum Archived 2008-10-14 at the Wayback Machine
  4. Huxley, A., ed. (1992). New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. Macmillan ISBN 0-333-47494-5.
  5. Blatter, Ethelbert; Millard, Walter Samuel (1977) [1937]. Some beautiful Indian Trees (2 ed.). Mumbai: Bombay natural History Society. pp. 109–111. The generic name Peltophorum means "shield-bearing" (from the ancient Greek word πέλτη [pĕltē] "a small light shield") and refers to the peltate stigma.
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