Abuta

Taxobox
name = "Abuta"

---

|right|thumb
image_width = 250px
image_caption = "Abuta selloana": Illustrations A-F from A. Engler, Das Pflanzenreich 46
regnum = Plantae
divisio = Magnoliophyta
classis = Magnoliopsida
ordo = Ranunculales
familia = Menispermaceae
genus = "Abuta"
genus_authority = Aubl.
subdivision_ranks = Species
subdivision = See List of Abuta species.

"Abuta" is a genus in the flowering plant family Menispermaceae, of about 32 species, native to tropical Central and South America.

Description

It consists in dioecious climbers or rarely erect trees or shrubs ("Abuta concolor") with simple leaves. Flowers in composed panicles. Male flowers: sepals 6, in 2 whorls, petals absent, stamens 6, connate or free, introrse, anthers with a longitudinal or transverse dehiscence. Female flowers: sepals and petals as in male, staminodes 6, carpels 3, drupes ovoid, endocarp woody, condyle septiform, endosperm ruminate, embryo curved, cotyledons appressed.it is in the tropical rain forest.

Taxonomy

"Abuta" is usually classified in the tribe Anomospermeae Miers, together with "Anomospermum" Miers.

ynonymy

The genera "Anelasma" Miers and "Batschia" Thunb. have been brought into synonymy with "Abuta".

Uses

Abuta is one of the components of the arrow poison curare of some indigenous tribes of South America (especially "Abuta imene" from Colombia). Roots of "Abuta rufescens" are used as medicinal in diseases of the urogenital tract, but it is dangerous. [cite book|author = Mabberley, D.J. |year = 1997| title = The plant-book|edition = 2nd edition |isbn = 0-521-41421-0]

The dichloromethane extracts of "Abuta grandifolia" and "Minthostachys setosa" (Labiatae) demonstrated high larvicidal activity against "Aedes aegypti", the most active being the dichloromethane extract of "A. grandifolia". [cite journal| last = Ciccia G.| first = Coussio, J. & E. Mongelli| title = Insecticidal activity against Aedes aegypti larvae of some medicinal South American plants| journal = Journal of Ethnopharmacology| volume = 72| issue = 1| year = 2000| pages = 185–189| doi=10.1016/S0378-8741(00)00241-5]

ee also

* List of Abuta species

References

Notes

Further reading

*La icon and De icon Diels, L. (1910).Menispermaceae in: A.Engler (ed.), "Das Pflanzenreich" IV.94 (Fasc. 46). Engelmann, Leipzig (Germany). [monographic revision of the genus]
*Barneby, R. C. & B. A. Krukoff (1971):Supplementary Notes on American Menispermaceae VIII. A Generic Survey of the American Triclisieae and Anomospermeae."Memoirs of the New York Botanical Garden" 22(2):30-52. [taxonomic partial revision]
*Kessler, P.J.A. in Kubitzki, K.(Editor) (1993): The Families and Genera of Vascular Plants, Vol.2: K. Kubitzki, J. G. Rohwer & V. Bittrich. Springer-Verlag Berlin ISBN 3-540-55509-9

External links

* [http://sloth.ots.ac.cr/local/florula2/list_images.php?key_species_code=LS001393&key_kingdom=&key_phylum=&key_class=&key_order=&key_family=&key_genus=Abuta&specie_name=panamensis Images of "Abuta panamensis" from La Flora Digital de La Selva, Costa Rica]