More than 2200 species of the wild flora and fauna photographed in Zihuatanejo, Guerrero, Mexico and the surrounding area.
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Gentians, Dogbanes, and Madders of Zihuatanejo
ORDER GENTIANALES
Ruehssia lanata
Flowers by Colour
-Vascular Plants (Phylum Tracheophyta)
-Flowering Plants (Subphylum Angiospermae)
-Gentians, Dogbanes, Madders, and Allies (Order Gentianales)
-Dogbane Family (Family Apocynaceae)
-Milkweeds (Subfamily Asclepiadoideae)
-Tribe Marsdenieae
-Genus Ruehssia
-Ruehssia lanata
Ruehssia lanata is a woody climber native to Mexico. It grows in tropical habitats and can be found in deciduous forests and scrublands at elevations up to 1000 meters. Its stems are light green in color and its leaves are ovate in shape. The flowers are white in coloor and they produce a red berry. The plant has been used in traditional medicine for its antidiabetic and anti-inflammatory properties.
Description
Ruehssia lanata is a flowering plant in the dogbane family (Apocynaceae), subfamily Asclepiadoideae, which includes the milkweeds and their relatives. It was formerly classified within the genus Matelea.
It is a twining or climbing perennial vine with stems and foliage covered in fine, woolly hairs, giving the plant a soft, hairy appearance.
The leaves are opposite, simple, and broadly ovate to heart-shaped, with pointed tips and prominent veins.
Small, star-shaped flowers grow in clusters in the leaf axils. Their colours and markings can vary, as is typical among species in this group.
The fruit consists of paired or solitary follicles containing numerous seeds, each equipped with a tuft of silky hairs that aids wind dispersal.
Range
Associated with Mexico and parts of Central America
It is reported in the region of Zihuatanejo, Guerrero, Mexico.
Habitat
Likely occurs in tropical dry forest, scrub, woodland margins, and seasonally dry vegetation.
As a climbing vine, it can twine through shrubs and other supporting vegetation.