Abronia (plant)

Abronia, the sand-verbenas or wild lantanas, is a genus of about 20 species of annual or perennial herbaceous plants in the family Nyctaginaceae. Despite the common names, they are not related to Verbena (vervains) or lantanas in the family Verbenaceae. They are closely allied with Tripterocalyx.

Abronia
Yellow Sand Verbena (Abronia latifolia)
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Order: Caryophyllales
Family: Nyctaginaceae
Tribe: Nyctagineae
Genus: Abronia
Juss.,[1] 1789
Species

See text

Abronia villosa
Abronia ameliae

They are native to western North America, from Alberta and Saskatchewan, Canada, south to west Texas, California, Baja California and central Mexico, growing on dry sandy soils. Abronia macrocarpa, a Texas endemic, is protected under the Endangered Species Act. Abronia ammophila, the Yellowstone sand verbena, is a plant unique to Yellowstone National Park's lakeshores and is endemic to the park. Only a few species are widespread, and many are quite rare. They make very attractive garden plants for hot, dry sandy sites.

Selected species

Formerly placed here
  • Tripterocalyx carneus (Greene) L.A.Galloway (as A. carnea Greene)
  • Tripterocalyx crux-maltae (Kellogg) Standl. (as A. crux-maltae Kellogg)
  • Tripterocalyx micranthus (Torr.) Hook. (as A. micrantha Torr.)
  • Tripterocalyx wootonii Standl. (as A. wootonii (Standl.) Tidestr.)[3]

Cultivation and uses

The stout, sweet root of Abronia fragrans and Abronia latifolia, sometimes over 60 cm long, can be eaten as a root vegetable.

  • Nyctaginaceae Pink sand verbena abronia umbellata
  • Abronia ameliae
  • Sand Verbena (Abronia villosa)

References
  1. "Genus: Abronia Juss". Germplasm Resources Information Network. United States Department of Agriculture. 2010-07-07. Archived from the original on 2011-06-29. Retrieved 2010-10-24.
  2. "Abronia". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved 2010-10-24.
  3. "GRIN Species Records for Abronia". Germplasm Resources Information Network. United States Department of Agriculture. Archived from the original on 2000-12-13. Retrieved 2010-10-24.
  • Galloway, LA. 1976. Systematics of the North American desert species of Abronia and Tripterocalyx (Nyctaginaceae). Brittonia 27 (4): 328-347 (1975 publ. 1976)
  • Flora of North America: Abronia

Media related to Abronia at Wikimedia Commons Data related to Abronia at Wikispecies


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