Rugelia
Genus of flowering plant
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Rugelia nudicaulis (Rugel's Indian plantain[2] or Rugels ragwort), the sole species of the genus Rugelia, blooms in summer. It is a wildflower endemic to higher elevations in the Great Smoky Mountains.[3] It is a rare species in Tennessee.[4] Genetic diversity in this plant, assessed using allozymes, is so low that the species may not survive changing environmental conditions.[5] Both the scientific name and the common names honor Ferdinand Rugel, a botanist and plant collector who collected plant specimens throughout the southeastern United States during the period 1840–1848.
| Rugelia | |
|---|---|
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Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Asterales |
| Family: | Asteraceae |
| Subfamily: | Asteroideae |
| Tribe: | Senecioneae |
| Genus: | Rugelia Shuttlew. ex Chapm. |
| Species: | R. nudicaulis |
| Binomial name | |
| Rugelia nudicaulis | |
| Synonyms[1] | |
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Homotypic synonyms
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Taxonomy
The monotypic genus Rugelia was described by the American botanist Alvan Wentworth Chapman in 1860.[6] In his description, Chapman attributed both the generic name Rugelia and the specific epithet nudicaulis to R.J. Shuttleworth.[7] The names honor Ferdinand Rugel,[8] the botanist who collected the type specimen of Rugelia nudicaulis in 1842.[1][9]
In 1883, the American botanist Asa Gray placed Rugelia nudicaulis in genus Senecio as Senecio rugelia.[10] In 1974, Senecio rugelia was placed in genus Cacalia as Cacalia rugelia.[11] As of December 2024[update], both Senecio rugelia A.Gray and Cacalia rugelia (A.Gray) T.M.Barkley & Cronquist are considered to be homotypic synonyms of Rugelia nudicaulis Shuttlew. ex Chapm.[1]
