Landolphia
genus of plants
Landolphia is a genus of flowering plants in the family Apocynaceae first described as a genus in 1806. They take the form of vines that scramble over host trees. Landolphia is native to tropical Africa.
Characteristics
There are about fifty species of Landolphia in continental Africa and about fourteen more species in Madagascar. They are typically found in forest habitats in tropical West and Central Africa, scrambling over trees, but a few species are large shrubs. They have simple, glossy green leaves in opposite pairs, jasmine-like flowers with tubes and parts in fives, and hard-shelled, fleshy fruits with several seeds embedded in the pulp. After fruiting, the flower stem develops into a twisting tendril which branches near its tip.
Uses
Members of this genus exude latex when the bark is damaged. The vines have traditionally been used to supply rubber but that function has increasingly been taken over by the rubber tree, Hevea brasiliensis which can be conveniently grown in plantations. The latex from these vines is still used to a limited extent for rubber production.
This brief starts where responsible research should: with the source description of “Landolphia” as genus of plants. Everything that follows is an evidence route, not borrowed authority.
Why this record matters
The subject matters to the science & nature register because the source frames it as genus of plants. Its deeper value depends on whether names, dates, institutions and citations support that framing.
Stable identifiers, scientific names and standards terminology offer the best bridge between this overview and specialist evidence. The source revision retrieved here is dated May 18, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q2715319. None of the 0 selected statements returned an explicit reference. The first chronological checks are 1806.
Current terminology should not be projected backward without checking the classification used when the underlying evidence was created. The lead is largely declarative, so disagreement and counter-evidence require a deliberate search beyond the opening account. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Check terminology, classification and the date of the cited evidence. Scientific names and technical consensus can change while older records retain historical value.
- Current terminology
- Classification context
- Finding cited technical literature
Primary datasets, specimen catalogues, standards bodies and the most recent peer-reviewed literature.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “Landolphia”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow Landolphia primary sources, Landolphia archive and Landolphia research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
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This entry incorporates text from “Landolphia” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.