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About
Dischidia is a genus of plants in the "dog-bane" family Apocynaceae, collectively known as the "milkweeds". They are epiphytes, native to tropical areas of China, India as well as Bhutan’s southern borders, wherever minimal frost occurs. Additionally, they are known from most areas of Mainland Southeast Asia, including forested areas of Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, and some parts of Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore. Several species are also native to Papua New Guinea, northeastern Australia, Mariana Islands and other Pacific islands.
Full Article
Dischidia is a genus of plants in the "dog-bane" family Apocynaceae, collectively known as the "milkweeds" (true perennial milkweeds in the Apocynaceae are found in the genus Asclepias). They are epiphytes, native to tropical areas of China, India as well as Bhutan’s southern borders, wherever minimal frost occurs. Additionally, they are known from most areas of Mainland Southeast Asia, including forested areas of Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, and some parts of Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore. Several species are also native to Papua New Guinea, northeastern Australia, Mariana Islands and other Pacific islands.
Description
Overview
Dischidia are closely related to their sister-genus Hoya, whose range they overlap in some regions. Unlike Hoya, the genus Dischidia is poorly-known and has not been studied as closely.
Ecology
Most Dischidia grow in arboreal ant nests, of various species, and several have developed a symbiotic relationship with the insects. The plants have even evolved modified leaves to provide the ants housing and/or storage, in exchange for pollination of their blooms. Of these symbiotic adaptations, there are two types of modification to the leaves:
Habitat
- Altitude
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- Altitude Class
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Cultivation
- Difficulty
- intermediate