Corynocarpus similis
| Corynocarpus similis | |
|---|---|
| |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Cucurbitales |
| Family: | Corynocarpaceae |
| Genus: | Corynocarpus |
| Species: | C. similis
|
| Binomial name | |
| Corynocarpus similis | |
Corynocarpus similis is a species of tree in the family Corynocarpaceae, reaching 13 m (40 ft) in height. It is endemic to Vanuatu. It was first described by the British botanist William Hemsley in 1904 in his revision of the Corynocarpus genus. It is most closely related to C. laevigatus and C. disimilis, but differs due to its wider leaves and their shape. C. similis's seeds have poisonous glucosides compounds of 3-nitropropionic acid, which are similar to those found in C. laevigatus.
Description
[edit]C. similis is a species of tree in the family Corynocarpaceae, growing to a height of up to 13 m (40 ft). Its leaves have an almost leathery texture and are 15–20 cm (5.9–7.9 in) long and 4–8 cm (1.6–3.1 in) wide. Its flowers are 10 mm in diameter. Its sepals are spherical or rounded in character. Its fruits are edible.[1]
Phytochemistry
[edit]C. similis's seeds have poisonous glucosides compounds of 3-nitropropionic acid, which are similar to C. laevigatus.[2]
Taxonomy
[edit]Cladogram showing the relationship of the species within the sole genus in the family Corynocarpaceae.[3]
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C. similis was first described by British botanist William Hemsley in 1904 in his revision of the Corynocarpus genus. C. similis is similar to C. laevigatus but differs due to their wider leaves and their shape.[1][4]
Corynocarpus species are found across the Pacific Islands and Australia, including: C. dissilmilis in New Caledonia, C. cribbianus in North Queensland and New Guinea, C. laevigatus in New Zealand, and C. rupestris in the Australian states of New South Wales and Queensland.[5] In a 2000 study, rbcL sequencing reaveled that the species is most closely related to C. laevigatus and C. disimilis.[6]
Etymology
[edit]The etymology (word origin) of the genus name Corynocarpus derives from the Greek koryne, meaning 'club', and carpus, meaning 'fruit', translating in English to 'club fruit'.[7] The specific epithet (second part of the scientific name), similis, is a Latin word meaning 'similar' or 'like'.[8] It is unclear why Hemsley chose this as the specific epithet since he does not provide an explanation.[1] It has been hypothesised that it denotes a similarity between it and C. laevigatus.[9]
Distribution
[edit]C. dissimilis is endemic to the Bismarck Archipelago, Solomon Islands, New Britain, New Ireland, and Vanuatu.[5][10]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c Hemsley 1903, p. 12.
- ^ Cabalion & Poisson 1987, pp. 189–191.
- ^ Wagstaff & Dawson 2000, p. 6.
- ^ IPNI 2025.
- ^ a b Wagstaff & Dawson 2000, p. 1.
- ^ Wagstaff & Dawson 2000, p. 2.
- ^ De Lange 2012.
- ^ Gledhill 2008, p. 363.
- ^ Harris & Kapoor 1990, p. 50.
- ^ Atherton et al. 2015, p. 1.
Works cited
[edit]Books
- Gledhill, David (2008). The Names of Plants. Cambridge, United Kingdom: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-68553-5. Retrieved 20 July 2025.
- Harris, Warwick; Kapoor, Promila (1990). Nga Mahi Maori O Te Wao Nui a Tane. Christchurch, New Zealand: Botany Division. ISBN 0-477-02579-X.
Journals
- Atherton, Ra; Lockhart, Pj; McLenachan, Pa; de Lange, Pj; Wagstaff, Sj; Shepherd, Ld (2015). "A molecular investigation into the origin and relationships of karaka/kōpi (Corynocarpus laevigatus) in New Zealand". Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand. 45 (4): 212–220. doi:10.1080/03036758.2015.1093006. ISSN 0303-6758. Retrieved 25 July 2025.
- Cabalion, P.; Poisson, J. (1987). "Corynocarpus simili Hemsley, Plante Alimentaire et Toxique de Vanuatu (ex-nouvelles-hebrides)". Journal of Ethnopharmacology. 21 (2). Elsevier BV: 189–191. doi:10.1016/0378-8741(87)90130-9. ISSN 0378-8741.
- Hemsley, W. Botting (1903). "On the Genus Corynocarpus, Forst., with Descriptions of two New Species". Annals of Botany. os-17 (4): 743–760. doi:10.1093/oxfordjournals.aob.a088941. ISSN 1095-8290.
- Wagstaff, Steven J.; Dawson, Murray I. (2000). "Classification, Origin, and Patterns of Diversification of Corynocarpus (Corynocarpaceae) Inferred from DNA Sequences". Systematic Botany. 25 (1). American Society of Plant Taxonomists: 134–149. doi:10.2307/2666679. ISSN 0363-6445. JSTOR 2666679. Retrieved 9 February 2025.
Websites
- De Lange, Peter (15 January 2012). "Corynocarpus laevigatus". New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. Archived from the original on 9 May 2024. Retrieved 5 November 2024.
- International Plant Names Index (IPNI) (2025). "Corynocarpus similis Hemsl". International Plant Names Index. The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew; Harvard University Herbaria & Libraries; and, Australian National Botanic Gardens. Retrieved 26 July 2025.