Lactoris

taxobox
name = "Lactoris fernandeziana"
regnum = Plantae
unranked_divisio = Angiosperms
unranked_classis = Magnoliids
ordo = Piperales
familia = Aristolochiaceae
genus = "Lactoris"
genus_authority = Phil.
species = "L. fernandeziana"
binomial = "Lactoris fernandeziana"
binomial_authority = Phil.|

"Lactoris fernandeziana" is a flowering shrub endemic to the cloud forest of Masatierra, on the Juan Fernández Islands. It was formerly placed alone in family Lactoridaceae, but is now included in Aristolochiaceae, order Piperales.

Morphological data is not clear concerning the classification of "Lactoris", [cite journal | title = The questionable affinities of Lactoris: evidence from branching pattern, inflorescence morphology, and stipule development | author = Favio González and Paula Rudall | journal = American Journal of Botany | year = 2001 | volume = 88 | pages = 2143–2150 | doi = 10.2307/3558375 | url = http://www.amjbot.org/cgi/content/full/88/12/2143 ] but molecular data places it in the Aristolochiaceae. [cite journal | title = Molecular data place Hydnoraceae with Aristolochiaceae | author = Daniel L. Nickrent, Albert Blarer, Yin-Long Qiu, Douglas E. Soltis, Pamela S. Soltis and Michael Zanis | journal = American Journal of Botany | year = 2002 | volume = 89 | pages = 1809–1817 | doi = 10.3732/ajb.89.11.1809 | url = http://www.amjbot.org/cgi/content/full/89/11/1809 ]

It seems to be wind-pollinated. The wild population of about 1000 plants has low genetic diversity, and grows on foggy and rainy slopes, usually as an understory plant but sometimes in full sun. Cultivation of seedlings has generally been unsuccessful, although cuttings have worked better and better knowledge of preferred growing conditions may make cultivation easier.cite journal | title = Reproductive biology of Lactoris fernandeziana (Lactoridaceae) | author = Gabriel Bernardello, Gregory J. Anderson, Patricio Lopez S., Maryke A. Cleland, Tod F. Stuessy and Daniel J. Crawford | journal = American Journal of Botany | year = 1999 | volume = 86 | pages = 829–840 | doi = 10.2307/2656704 | url = http://www.amjbot.org/cgi/content/full/86/6/829 ]

In the fossil record, pollen has been found which seems to be related to the living "Lactoris" species.

References