Leptochiton (plant) explained

Leptochiton is a genus of South American plants in the Amaryllis family.^{[1] [2]}

There are 2 known species, native to Ecuador and Peru:^[3]

• Leptochiton helianthus (Ravenna) Gereau & Meerow - Peru (Cajamarca)
• Leptochiton quitoensis (Herb.) Sealy - Ecuador (Guayas, Loja), Peru

Description

Generative characteristics

Leptochiton has phytomelanous seeds, which is unique among the tribe Hymenocallideae.

Cytology

The diploid chromosome count is 2n = 24 or 2n = 34.^[4]

Phylogeny

It is closely related to Ismene, to which it shared a common ancestor 26.14 million years ago. It is the sister group to Hymenocallis, from which it separated 24.46 million years ago.^[5]

Notes and References

1. Sealy, Joseph Robert. 1937. Botanical Magazine 160: plate 9491
2. Jørgensen, P. M., M. H. Nee & S. G. Beck. (eds.) 2014. Catálogo de las plantas vasculares de Bolivia, Monographs in systematic botany from the Missouri Botanical Garden 127(1–2): i–viii, 1–1744.
3. http://apps.kew.org/wcsp/namedetail.do?name_id=280152 Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families
4. Meerow, A. W., Guy, C. L., Li, Q. B., & Yang, S. L. (2000). "Phylogeny of the American Amaryllidaceae based on nrDNA ITS sequences." Systematic Botany, 708-726.
5. Meerow, A. W., Gardner, E. M., & Nakamura, K. (2020). "Phylogenomics of the Andean tetraploid clade of the American Amaryllidaceae (subfamily Amaryllidoideae): unlocking a polyploid generic radiation abetted by continental geodynamics." Frontiers in Plant Science, 11, 582422.