Xerophyta
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Xerophyta | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Xerophyta retinervis | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Monocots |
| Order: | Pandanales |
| Family: | Velloziaceae |
| Genus: | Xerophyta Juss. (1789) |
Xerophyta is a genus of flowering plants in the family Velloziaceae. It was named in 1789 by de Jussieu.[1][2] It is native to Africa, Madagascar, and the Arabian Peninsula.[3]
Some species in this genus are poikilochlorophyllous plants. This means that during dry climatic conditions, they lose chlorophyll and cease photosynthesis and transpiration. Thus they are extremely tolerant of desiccation .[4] Hence the name Xerophyta, from Ancient Greek ξηρός (xeros, "dry") and φυτά (phutá), plural of φυτόν (phutón, “plant”).[5]
Sequencing of the genome of Xerophyta viscosa allowed to propose that the mechanism of desiccation tolerance in these plants is achieved by employing the genetic repertoire used by desiccation-tolerant seeds.[6]
- Species[3]
- Xerophyta acuminata
- Xerophyta andringitrensis
- Xerophyta arabica
- Xerophyta argentea
- Xerophyta capillaris
- Xerophyta concolor
- Xerophyta connata
- Xerophyta dasylirioides
- Xerophyta demeesmaekeriana
- Xerophyta eglandulosa
- Xerophyta elegans
- Xerophyta equisetoides
- Xerophyta eylesii
- Xerophyta goetzei
- Xerophyta hereroensis
- Xerophyta humilis
- Xerophyta kirkii
- Xerophyta longicaulis
- Xerophyta monroi
- Xerophyta nutans
- Xerophyta pectinata
- Xerophyta pinifolia
- Xerophyta retinervis
- Xerophyta rippsteinii
- Xerophyta rosea
- Xerophyta scabrida
- Xerophyta schlechteri
- Xerophyta schnizleinia
- Xerophyta seinei
- Xerophyta sessiliflora
- Xerophyta simulans
- Xerophyta spekei
- Xerophyta splendens
- Xerophyta squarrosa
- Xerophyta stenophylla
- Xerophyta suaveolens
- Xerophyta trichophylla
- Xerophyta tulearensis
- Xerophyta velutina
- Xerophyta villosa
- Xerophyta viscosa
- Xerophyta wentzeliana
- Xerophyta zambiana
- formerly included[3]
moved to other genera: Barbaceniopsis Nanuza Vellozia
- X. abietina - Vellozia abietina
- X. boliviensis - Barbaceniopsis boliviensis
- X. cinerascens - Vellozia cinerascens
- X. minima - Vellozia minima
- X. plicata - Nanuza plicata
- X. pohliana - Vellozia minima
- X. pulchra - Vellozia pulchra
- X. sellowii - Vellozia sellowii
- X. taxifolia - Vellozia taxifolia
- X. tragacantha - Vellozia tragacantha
- X. triquetra - Nanuza plicata
- X. vargasiana - Barbaceniopsis vargasiana
