# Cryptocarya > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Cryptocarya > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Cryptocarya.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cryptocarya > Source revision: 1288391055 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{Short description|Genus of flowering plants}} {{automatic taxobox |image = Cryptocarya.PNG |image_caption = ''[Cryptocarya alba](/source/Cryptocarya_alba)'' |taxon = Cryptocarya |authority = [R.Br.](/source/Robert_Brown_(botanist%2C_born_1773)){{cite web |url=https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:330812-2 |title=''Cryptocarya'' R.Br. |website=[Plants of the World Online](/source/Plants_of_the_World_Online) |publisher=[Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew](/source/Royal_Botanic_Gardens%2C_Kew) |year=2023 |access-date=18 October 2023}} |subdivision_ranks = Species |subdivision = Over 360; See [List of ''Cryptocarya'' species](/source/List_of_Cryptocarya_species) |synonyms = *''Agathophyllum'' {{small|Juss.}} *''Caryodaphne'' {{small|Blume ex Nees}} *''Dahlgrenodendron'' {{small|J.J.M.van der Merwe & A.E.van Wyk}} *''Evodia'' {{small|Gaertn.}} *''Icosandra'' {{small|Phil.}} *''Kerrdora'' {{small|Gagnep.}} *''Massoia'' {{small|Becc.}} *''Pseudocryptocarya'' {{small|Teschner}} *''Ravensara'' {{small|Sonn.}} *''Salgada'' {{small|Blanco}} |synonyms_ref = {{R|POWO}} }} [[File:Cryptocarya mackinnoniana ALA3.jpg|thumb|''[Cryptocarya mackinnoniana](/source/Cryptocarya_mackinnoniana)'']] '''''Cryptocarya''''' is a genus of about 360 species of flowering plants in the laurel family, [Lauraceae](/source/Lauraceae). Most species are trees, occasionally shrubs, distributed through the [Neotropical](/source/Neotropical_realm), [Afrotropical](/source/Afrotropical_realm), [Indomalayan](/source/Indomalayan_realm), and [Australasian realm](/source/Australasian_realm)s. Most plants in the genus ''Cryptocarya'' have leaves arranged alternately along the stems, small flowers with 6 [tepal](/source/tepal)s, [stamen](/source/stamen)s in 2 rows, the inner row alternating with [staminode](/source/staminode)s, and the fruit is a [drupe](/source/drupe). ==Description== Plants in the genus ''Cryptocarya'' are trees, occasionally shrubs, the leaves usually arranged alternately along the branches. The leaves are [petiolate](/source/Petiole_(botany)) and [pinnately-veined](/source/Pinnation). The flowers are arranged in [cymes](/source/Cyme_(botany)), [raceme](/source/raceme)s or [panicle](/source/panicle)s in leaf axils usually at the ends of branches and often appearing as if on the ends of the branches. The flowers have both male and female parts, with 6 tepals usually erect as the flower opens, and 9 stamens in 2 rows, the inner row of 3 alternating with staminodes. The [ovary](/source/Ovary_(botany)) is [sessile](/source/Sessility_(botany)), usually with an inconspicuous [stigma](/source/Stigma_(botany)) and the fruit is an elliptic to spherical, fleshy drupe, containing a single seed.{{cite web |last1=Le Cussan |first1=J. |last2=Hyland |first2=Bernard P.M. |title=''Cryptocarya'' |url=https://profiles.ala.org.au/opus/foa/profile/Cryptocarya |publisher=Flora of Australia. Australian Biological Resources Study, Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water: Canberra |access-date=4 June 2024}}{{cite web |last1=Harden |first1=Gwen J. |title=''Cryptocarya'' |url=https://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/cgi-bin/NSWfl.pl?page=nswfl&showsyn=&dist=&constat=&lvl=gn&name=Cryptocarya |publisher=Royal Botanic Garden, Sydney |access-date=4 June 2024}}{{cite web |title=''Cryptocarya'' |url=https://eflora.nt.gov.au/factsheetGenus?id=2893 |publisher=Northern Territory Government |access-date=4 June 2024}} ==Taxonomy== The genus ''Cryptocarya'' was first formally described in 1810 by [Robert Brown](/source/Robert_Brown_(botanist%2C_born_1773)) in his ''[Prodromus Florae Novae Hollandiae et Insulae Van Diemen](/source/Prodromus_Florae_Novae_Hollandiae_et_Insulae_Van_Diemen)''.{{R|POWO}}{{cite book |last1=Brown |first1=Robert |title=Prodromus Florae Novae Hollandiae et Insulae Van Diemen |date=1810 |location=London |page=402 |url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/21871#page/270/mode/1up |access-date=4 June 2024}} The genus name ''Cryptocarya'' means 'hidden nut', referring to the fruit that is hidden by the tepals.{{cite book |last1=George |first1=Alex |last2=Sharr |first2=Francis |title=Western Australian Plant Names and Their Meanings |date=2021 |publisher=Four Gables Press |location=Kardinya, WA |isbn=9780958034180 |page=72 |edition=4th}} In a recent generic classification of Lauraceae based on DNA sequence, ''Cryptocarya'' was found to be part of a strongly supported clade that also includes ''[Beilschmiedia](/source/Beilschmiedia), [Potameia](/source/Potameia),'' and ''[Endiandra](/source/Endiandra)''.{{cite journal |last1=Van Der Werff |first1=Henk |title=A Revision of the Malagasy endemic genus ''Aspidostemon'' Rohwer & Richter (Lauraceae |journal=Adansonia |date=2006 |volume=28 |issue=1 |pages=7–38 |url=http://www.mnhn.fr/museum/front/medias/publication/8185_a06n1a1.pdf |accessdate=2011-11-06 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110808034921/http://www.mnhn.fr/museum/front/medias/publication/8185_a06n1a1.pdf |archivedate=2011-08-08 }} ===Species list=== See [List of ''Cryptocarya'' species](/source/List_of_Cryptocarya_species). ==Distribution== Species of ''Cryptocarya'' are found in some parts of South America, southern Africa, Madagascar, South Asia, Southeast Asia, Japan, New Guinea and Australia. ==Uses== The leaves of ''[C. woodii](/source/Cryptocarya_woodii)'' have been found in prehistoric settlements in Africa and are believed to have been used for insect control.{{cite journal |vauthors=Wadley L, Sievers C, Bamford M, Goldberg P, Berna F, Miller C |title=Middle Stone Age bedding construction and settlement patterns at Sibudu, South Africa |journal=Science |volume=334 |issue=6061 |pages=1388–91 |year=2011 |pmid=22158814 |doi=10.1126/science.1213317 |bibcode=2011Sci...334.1388W |s2cid=11063722 }} [Essential oil](/source/Essential_oil) is commercially harvested from ''[Cryptocarya agathophylla](/source/Cryptocarya_agathophylla)'' (formerly ''Ravensara aromatica''), a tree native to the lowland rainforests of eastern Madagascar. Known as ravensara oil, it is used for [aromatherapy](/source/aromatherapy) in Europe and America.Hanitriniaina Sahondra Andrianoelisoa, Chantal Menut, Panja Ramanoelina, Falihery Raobelison, Philippe Collas de Chatelperron, & Pascal Danthu (2010). "Chemical Composition of Essential Oils From Bark and Leaves of Individual Trees of Ravensara aromatica Sonnerat", ''Journal of Essential Oil Research'', 22:1, 66-70, DOI: 10.1080/10412905.2010.9700267 ==References== {{Reflist}} ==External links== * Pictures of [http://www.chilebosque.cl/tree/calba.html ''Cryptocarya alba'' or Peumo] in Chile. *{{cite web |title=''Cryptocarya'' R.Br. |work=Atlas of Living Australia |url=https://bie.ala.org.au/species/http://id.biodiversity.org.au/node/apni/7479815}} {{Taxonbar|from=Q3309395}} Category:Cryptocarya Category:Lauraceae genera Category:Taxa named by Robert Brown (botanist, born 1773) --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Cryptocarya](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cryptocarya) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cryptocarya?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.