Urophysa

In today's world, _Urophysa__ has become a topic of great relevance and interest to a wide spectrum of people. Whether _Urophysa__ is an iconic figure, a fundamental concept or a significant date, its importance transcends borders and cultures. In this article, we will explore the different aspects related to _Urophysa__, from its impact on society to its influence on history. Through detailed analysis, we will seek to understand how _Urophysa__ has shaped our world and remains relevant today. This article aims to provide a comprehensive and enriching vision of _Urophysa__, inviting the reader to reflect and delve into its meaning and relevance in everyday life.

Urophysa
Urophysa henryi
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Order: Ranunculales
Family: Ranunculaceae
Subfamily: Thalictroideae
Genus: Urophysa
Ulbr.[1]

Urophysa is a genus of perennial flowering plants belonging to the family Ranunculaceae, endemic to China.[1]

Description

Urophysa are perennial herbaceous plants with robust, more or less woody rhizomes. The basal leaves have three leaflets with long stalks which have a sheath at the base. The plants usually produce several scapes. The inflorescences form umbels with 1–3 flowers, each with five blue (or sometimes pinkish-white in U. henryi) sepals and five petals. The petals have either a small sac or a short, hooked nectar spur at the base. The flowers have smooth stamens, ellipsoid anthers, and around seven staminodes. The seeds are densely wrinkled.[2]

Taxonomy

Taxonomical history

The genus Urophysa was named by the German botanist Oskar Eberhard Ulbrich in 1929. Ulbrich reclassified the plant previously named Semiaquilegia henryi and Isopyrum henryi as Urophysa henryi in this new genus, and also described another species, U. rockii, in the same paper.[1][3]

Etymology

The genus name urophysa is derived from Greek οὐρά "tail" and φῦσα "bladder, swelling, inflated, bellows", referring to the small sacs (or short nectar spurs in the case of U. rockii) at the base of the petals.[3][4]

Subdivision

Urophysa comprises two accepted species:[1]

Distribution and habitat

Urophysa is endemic to southern China. Both species occur in Sichuan,[5][6] while U. henryi is also native to Guizhou, western Hubei and northwestern Hunan provinces.[5]

Conservation

As of January 2025, neither species has been assessed for the IUCN Red List.[7]

Ecology

Both species of Urophysa flower from March to April.[5][6]

References

  1. ^ a b c d "Urophysa Ulbr." Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 11 January 2025.
  2. ^ Dezhi, Fu; Robinson, Orbélia R. "Urophysa". Flora of China. Vol. 6. Retrieved 11 January 2025 – via eFloras.org, Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA.
  3. ^ a b Ulbrich, Oskar Eberhard (1929). "Ranunculaceae novae vel criticae VIII" [New or Revised Ranunculaceae VIII]. Notizblatt des Botanischen Gartens und Museums zu Berlin-Dahlem (in German). 10 (99): 867–871. doi:10.2307/3994810. JSTOR 3994810.
  4. ^ Gledhill, David (2006). The names of plants (4th. ed.). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0521866456. Retrieved 13 January 2025.
  5. ^ a b c Dezhi, Fu; Robinson, Orbélia R. "Urophysa henryi". Flora of China. Vol. 6. Retrieved 17 December 2024 – via eFloras.org, Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA.
  6. ^ a b Dezhi, Fu; Robinson, Orbélia R. "Urophysa rockii". Flora of China. Vol. 6. Retrieved 18 December 2024 – via eFloras.org, Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA.
  7. ^ "Ranunculaceae — family". IUCN Red List. Retrieved 11 January 2025.