Gnetum
| Gnetum | |
|---|---|
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| Gnetum macrostachyum in Thailand | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Division: | Gnetophyta |
| Class: | Gnetopsida |
| Order: |
Gnetales T.M. Fries |
| Family: |
Gnetaceae Lindley |
| Genus: |
Gnetum L. |
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| Distribution | |
| Synonyms | |
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Gnetum is a genus of gymnosperms, the sole genus in the family Gnetaceae and order Gnetales. They are tropical evergreen trees, shrubs, and lianas. Unlike other gymnosperms, they possess vessel elements in the xylem. Some species have been proposed to have been the first plants to be insect-pollinated as their fossils occur in association with extinct pollinating scorpionflies. Molecular phylogenies based on nuclear and plastid sequences from most of the species indicate hybridization among some of the Southeast Asian species. Fossil-calibrated molecular-clocks suggest that the Gnetum lineages now found in Africa, South America, and Southeast Asia are the result of ancient long-distance dispersal across seawater.
Many Gnetum species are edible, with the seeds being roasted, and the foliage used as a leaf vegetable. Some are also valued in herbal medicine.
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