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Codonanthopsis is a genus of flowering plants in the family Gesneriaceae. Its native range is from southern Mexico through tropical America to Bolivia and most of Brazil. Codonanthopsis species are generally trailing epiphytes with pale flowers. Most have a mutualistic relationship with tree-living ants: the plants provide the ants with food, including nectar, and give their nests structure and support, while the ants disperse the plants' seeds. The genus was considerably expanded in 2013 when species were transferred from Codonanthe. Some Codonanthopsis species are cultivated as houseplants, when they may be grown in hanging baskets.
Codonanthopsis species are cultivated as ornamental houseplants, although less popular than Codonanthe. They can be grown in hanging baskets. A well-drained soilless mix is recommended, and humidity levels over 50% improve flowering and fruiting. They are usually more tolerant of higher temperatures than Codonanthe species. Codonanthopsis elegans has been exhibited at a convention of the Gesneriad Society, and is described as having pale yellow flowers that "contrast beautifully with the dark and shiny foliage".
Codonanthopsis species are native from southern Mexico south through Central America and Trinidad and Tobago to Bolivia and all but the very southern part of Brazil. They have a mutually beneficial relationship with arboreal tropical ants. The fibrous roots of the plant support the ants' nests, and the plant provides food for the ants in the form of nectar produced by the flowers and the leaves, as well as the pulp of the fruit and the arils surrounding the seeds. The ants in turn disperse the seeds, which germinate inside their nests. One study in the Brazilian Amazonia found a strong relationship between ants of the genus Azteca and Codonanthopsis species (then placed in the genus Codonanthe). The "ant gardens" produced by this relationship were relatively small, and often interconnected by tunnels. Azteca workers were strongly attracted to Codonanthopsis seeds, which were shown to germinate better when ants had removed the arils.
Codonanthopsis anisophylla · Codonanthopsis calcarata · Codonanthopsis caribaea · Codonanthopsis chiricana · Codonanthopsis corniculata · Codonanthopsis crassifolia · Codonanthopsis dissimulata · Codonanthopsis elegans · Codonanthopsis erubescens · Codonanthopsis luteola · Codonanthopsis macradenia · Codonanthopsis uleana
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Codonanthopsis by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts are shared under the same licence.
