Alyxia


Alyxia is an Australasian genus of flowering plant in the dogbane family, Apocynaceae. It contains at present 106 species, but Alyxia stellata and A. tisserantii are very variable, might be cryptic species complexes, and are need of further study. It consists of shrubby, climbing or scrambling plants. This genus occurs in China, the Himalayas, Southeast Asia, Malaysia, Australia, New Caledonia and the Pacific Islands. There are 14 species in Australia, 21 in New Caledonia and 7 in the other Pacific Islands, including Hawaii.
The leaves are opposite or in whorls of three to seven. There are colleters present in the leaf axils. The inflorescence is axillary or terminal with solitary flowers or simple cymes. Flowers consist of five petals and five sepals. The flowers have a slender tube which expands abruptly. The stamens have short filamens and are inserted in the upper half of the corolla. The fruit is a pair of drupes, originating from each flower.
Dysentery bush is used in herbalism and was made into a patented remedy by Albert Aspinall. Maile, endemic to the Hawaiian Islands, has sweet-smelling leaves and is much used for lei; formerly it was reserved for alii, but today it can be used by anyone and is a popular wedding decoration on the islands. Maile also provides food for Thyrocopa caterpillars and belid weevils of the genus Proterhinus. Alyxia spp. are also used in Jamu.

Species


  • Alyxia angustifolia
  • Alyxia bracteolosa Rich ex A.Gray
  • Alyxia buxifolia – dysentery bush, sea box
  • Alyxia celebica
  • Alyxia daphnoides
  • Alyxia evansii
  • Alyxia fascicularis
  • Alyxia flavescens
  • Alyxia floribunda
  • Alyxia fosbergii
  • Alyxia ganophylla
  • Alyxia globosa
  • Alyxia graciliflora
  • Alyxia gynopogon
  • Alyxia ilicifolia F.Muell.
  • Alyxia insularis
  • Alyxia kwalotabaa
  • Alyxia lackii
  • Alyxia levinei
  • Alyxia linearifolia
  • Alyxia longiloba
  • Alyxia magnifolia
  • Alyxia manusiana
  • Alyxia marginata
  • Alyxia menglungensis
  • Alyxia minutiflora
  • Alyxia mucronata
  • Alyxia muguma
  • Alyxia obtusifolia R.Br.
  • Alyxia odorata
  • Alyxia oleifolia
  • Alyxia papuana
  • Alyxia poyaensis
  • Alyxia quadrata
  • Alyxia racemosa
  • Alyxia reinwardtii
  • Alyxia ruscifolia R.Br. – chain fruit
  • Alyxia scabrida
  • Alyxia schlechteri
  • Alyxia sharpei
  • Alyxia siamensis
  • Alyxia sinensis
  • Alyxia solomonensis
  • Alyxia spicata R.Br.
  • Alyxia squamulosa C.Moore & F.Muell.
  • Alyxia stellata Roem. & Schult.
  • Alyxia taiwanensis
  • Alyxia thailandica
  • Alyxia tisserantii
  • Alyxia tropica
  • Alyxia uniflora
  • Alyxia veillonii
  • Alyxia vera
  • Alyxia villilimba

Footnotes