Leptopus

Leptopus, the maidenbushes, are a group of plants in the flowering plant family Phyllanthaceae first described as a genus in 1836. As presently constituted, is native to southern Asia from the Caucasus east to China and Maluku. Leptopus is one of eight genera in the tribe Poranthereae and comprises 9 species. It is the sister of Actephila. The type species is Leptopus cordifolius. The name is derived from two Greek words, leptos, 'thin, slender, or small', and pous, 'foot', a reference to slender pedicels. Leptopus consists of monoecious herbs and shrubs with simple, entire leaves and small, green flowers. The genus was revised in 2009. Leptopus fangdingianus had been placed by some authors in a separate genus, Archileptopus, but it was shown in 2007 that recognition of Archileptopus makes Leptopus paraphyletic. Phyllanthopsis phyllanthoides has been placed in Leptopus as well as in Andrachne. In 2007, it was shown to not properly belong to either genus and in 2008 was assigned to a new genus, Phyllanthopsis. moved to other genera: Chorisandrachne Euphorbia Notoleptopus Phyllanthopsis