Hippomane | |
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Hippomane mancinella | |
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Clade: | Rosids |
Order: | Malpighiales |
Family: | Euphorbiaceae |
Subfamily: | Euphorbioideae |
Tribe: | Hippomaneae |
Subtribe: | Hippomaninae |
Genus: | Hippomane L. |
Type species | |
Hippomane mancinella | |
Synonyms[3] | |
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Hippomane is a genus of plants in the Euphorbiaceae described by Linnaeus in 1753.[2][4] It is native to the West Indies, Central America, Mexico, Florida, Venezuela, Colombia, and Galápagos.[3][5][6][7][8][9]
The name of the genus references the Greek name hippomanes (applied by Theophrastus to an unidentified plant said to poison horses, sending them mad) - this being a compound of the Greek elements ἵππος (= (h)ippos) horse and μανία (= mania) insanity / frenzy - hence "sending horses insane".[10]
moved to other genera: Sapium