Capparis Linnaeus 1753

C.spinosa var nummularia fruit

Capparis is a flowering plant genus, comprising around 250 species^[2] in the family Capparaceae which is included in the Brassicaceae in the unrevised APG II system. These plants are shrubs or lianas and are collectively known as caper shrubs or caperbushes. Capparis species occur over a wide range of habitat in the subtropical and tropical zones.

Plant description

The leaves are simple, entire and rarely reduced. Flowers are bisexual, bracteates, axillary or supra-axillary, solitary or in rows, in racemes or umbels. Sepals and petals are 4 in number and are free. Stamens are many, ovary on a gynophore, 1-celled. Fruit is a berry, globose or ellipsoid.^[3]

Uses and ecology

The well-known caper is a pickled flower bud of Capparis spinosa.

Caperbushes are mainly used by humans for their fruit, which are rich in micronutrients. C. spinosa, simply known as caper, yields fruit and more importantly flower buds, which are widely used pickled as a vegetable condiment. The fruit of other species, such as karir (C. decidua), are also used for cooking; C. mitchellii and the Wild passionfruit (the local subspecies of C. spinosa) are well-known bush tucker in Australia. Mabinlang seeds (C. masaikai) are eaten as sweets.

Mabinlang is also used in Traditional Chinese Medicine. Aspalathos, the root of a shrub contained for example in the sacred Ancient Egyptian incense kp.t (kyphi), is sometimes considered to be C. spinosa. Other species have also recorded uses in herbalism and folk medicine; dedicated research is largely lacking however. Mabinlins are sweet-tasting proteins found in Mabinlang seed (and possibly in other Capparis species); at least one of them is highly resistant to heat. The market for mabinlins is not large, but this is mainly due to insufficient supply rather than to lack of demand.

The 1889 book The Useful Native Plants of Australia records that Capparis canescens was also referred to as "Mondoleu" by the indigenous people from Rockhampton area of Queensland and that "The fruit is pyriform and half an inch in diameter. It is eaten by the aborigines without any preparation." (Thozet.) Mr. P. O'Shanesy observes that the pulpy part in which these Australian species of Capparis are imbedded is a good substitute for mustard."^[4]

Caperbushes from arid regions - chiefly C. decidua - are highly useful in landscape gardening, afforestation and reforestation. They can stop soil erosion and preserve agricultural land. Any large-flowered species can be used to attract butterflies. The Crimson Rose (Atrophaneura hector), a spectacular swallowtail butterfly of South Asia, likes to visit flowers of C. spinosa in the winter months for example.

Many birds eat ripe Capparis spinosa fruit and seeds.

The fruit and seeds of caperbushes are relished by many birds and other animals such as spiny-tailed lizards. Capparis plants are highly important as food for certain Lepidoptera caterpillars, many of them being Pierinae:

• Appias lyncida (chocolate albatross) - recorded on C. heyneana and C. roxburghii.
• Astraptes fulgerator (two-barred flasher) - recorded on C. frondosa.^[5]
• Belenois aurota (caper white or pioneer) - recorded on C. zeylanica.
• Cepora nerissa (common gull) - mainly on C. zeylanica.
• Hebomoia glaucippe (great orangetip) - recorded on C. monii, C. roxburghii and C. sepiaria.
• Ixias marianne (white orangetip) - recorded on C. grandis, C. sepiaria, C. decidua, and C. divaricata.^[6][7]
• Leptosia nina (psyche) - recorded on C. zeylanica and others.
• Pareronia ceylanica (dark wanderer) - recorded on C. heydeana,^[8] C. rheedii^[6]
• Pareronia valeria (common wanderer) - recorded on C. zeylanica, C. rheedii,^[6] C. heydeana^[8]

The plant pathogenic ascomycete fungus Mycosphaerella capparis was described from a caperbush. Some species of Capparis are becoming rare, mainly due to habitat destruction, and a few are seriously threatened with extinction.

Species

Drawing of Capparis micracantha, showing its parts. Francisco Manuel Blanco, Flora de Filipinas, etc (1880-1883)

Drawing of Capparis "sepiaria", showing its parts. Francisco Manuel Blanco, Flora de Filipinas, etc. (1880-1883)

Plants of the World Online currently includes:^[9]

Formerly placed here

• Adansonia gregorii F.Muell. (as C. gibbosa A.Cunn.)
• Anisocapparis speciosa (Griseb.) Cornejo & H.H.Iltis (as C. speciosa Griseb.)
• Boscia albitrunca (Burch.) Gilg & Benedict (as C. albitrunca Burch.)
• Boscia oleoides (as Capparis oleoides)
• Calanthea pulcherrima (Jacq.) Miers (as C. pulcherrima Jacq.)
• Colicodendron scabridum (Kunth) Seem. (as C. scabrida Kunth)

• Crateva magna (Lour.) DC. (as C. magna Lour.)
• Cynophalla flexuosa (L.) J.Presl – Limber caper
• Cynophalla hastata (Jacq.) J.Presl – Broadleaf caper
• Cynophalla heterophylla (Ruiz & Pav. ex DC.) Iltis & Cornejo
• Cynophalla retusa (Griseb.) Cornejo & H. H. Iltis (as C. retusa Griseb.)
• Ritchiea reflexa (Thonn.) Gilg & Benedict (as C. reflexa Thonn.)
• Sarcotoxicum salicifolium (Griseb.) Cornejo & H.H.Iltis (as C. salicifolia Griseb.)^[13]

See also

• Caparica (Almada)

Footnotes

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Capparis.

Wikispecies has information related to Capparis.

• Brower, Andrew V.Z. (2006): Problems with DNA barcodes for species delimitation: ‘ten species’ of Astraptes fulgerator reassessed (Lepidoptera: Hesperiidae). Systematics and Biodiversity 4(2): 127–132. doi:10.1017/S147720000500191X PDF fulltext
• Hébert, Paul D.N.; Penton, Erin H.; Burns, John M.; Janzen, Daniel H. & Hallwachs, Winnie (2004): Ten species in one: DNA barcoding reveals cryptic species in the semitropical skipper butterfly Astraptes fulgerator. PNAS 101(41): 14812–14817. doi:10.1073/pnas.0406166101 PDF fulltext Supporting Appendices