Donax Lour.
Fl. Cochinch.: 14 (1790); Holttum, Gard. Bull. Singapore 13: 266-271 (1951); Rolfe, J. Bot. 45: 242-244 (1907).
Description:
Plants in the Donax genus are tall with branched cane-like stems carrying a leaf cluster at the tip and found in non-inundated areas. The inflorescence is lax and branched. The flower pairs are dolichoblastic and each flower has a small glandular bracteole serving as an extra floral nectary that attracts ants for the protection of the inflorescence. Fruits are white and fleshy with 1-2 black seeds. (Suksathan, Piyakaset, Systematic Studies in Asian Marantaceae, Ph.D. Thesis, University of Aarhus, Denmark, 2005).
Geographical Distribution:
Found in southeast Asia from E India eastwards to the New Hebrides and as far north as Orchid Island in Taiwan.
Taxonomic Diversity:
Taxonomic history of Donax is complicated; this genus and Schumannianthus have often been confused.
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