Cistanthe

Cistanthe
Cistanthe umbellata at Mount Rainier National Park
Cistanthe sp. at Yosemite National Park
Scientific classification
Kingdom:Plantae
Clade:Angiosperms
Clade:Eudicots
Order:Caryophyllales
Family:Montiaceae
Genus:Cistanthe
Spach
Species

45-50 - See text.

Cistanthe is a plant genus which includes most plants known as pussypaws. These are small, succulent flowering plants which often bear brightly colored flowers, though they vary quite a bit between species in appearance. Some species have flowers that are tightly packed into fluffy-looking inflorescences, the trait that gives them their common name. Many are adapted to arid environments, with some able to withstand climates that almost completely lack rainfall. Cistanthe was a genus created to segregate several species previously classified in Calandrinia. Several species from other closely related genera have been moved into Cistanthe as well.

Selected species:

References

    Further reading

    • Hershkovitz, M. A. (1991). Phylogenetic assessment and revised circumscription of Cistanthe Spach (Portulacaceae). Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden 78(4) 1009-21
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