Leucophyllum

Leucophyllum (barometer bush or barometerbush)[2][3] is a genus of evergreen shrubs in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae, native to the southwestern United States and Mexico. It is sometimes placed in the family Myoporaceae.[1] The dozen-odd species are often called "sages", although they have no relationship to the genus Salvia.

Leucophyllum
Leucophyllum frutescens 'Green Cloud'
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Lamiales
Family: Scrophulariaceae
Tribe: Leucophylleae
Genus: Leucophyllum
Humb. & Bonpl.[1]
Species

About 15 species, see text

Synonyms

Terania Berland.[1]

The solitary axillary flowers are bell- or funnel-shaped, with five lobes and two lips, and colors ranging from white to magenta to purple. The generic name is derived from the Greek words λευκός (leukos), meaning "white," and φυλλον (phyllos), meaning "leaf," referring to the trichome-covered foliage.[4]

These shrubs are found in sandy soils and have a high salt tolerance. They have become popular for edge and area plantings in warmer areas and in xeriscaping; they require minimal water, are easily shaped into hedges, and bloom over their entire surface. Cultivars of L. frutescens, L. candidum, L. laevigatum, L. langmaniae, L. pruinosum, L. revolutum, and L. zygophyllum have been developed.[5]

Leucophyllum shrubs are legendary for their ability to "forecast" rain, usually blooming several days prior to a rainstorm, apparently in response to humidity. They are sometimes called "barometer bush" for this reason. It is believed to be a survival trait in the plants' semi-desert habitats.

Selected species
  • Leucophyllum alejandrae G.L. Nesom
  • Leucophyllum ambiguum Bonpl.
  • Leucophyllum candidum I.M.Johnst. – Brewster County barometer bush
  • Leucophyllum flyrii B.L. Turner
  • Leucophyllum frutescens (Berland.) I.M.Johnst. – Texas sage, Texas ranger, silverleaf
  • Leucophyllum hintoniorum G.L. Nesom
  • Leucophyllum laevigatum Standl. – Chihuahuan sage
  • Leucophyllum langmaniae Flyr – Langman's sage, Rio Bravo sage
  • Leucophyllum minus A.Gray – Big Bend barometer bush[6]
  • Leucophyllum mojinense Henrickson & T. Van Devender
  • Leucophyllum pringlei (Greenm.) Standl.
  • Leucophyllum pruinosum I.M.Johnst.
  • Leucophyllum revolutum Rzed.
  • Leucophyllum ultramonticola Flyr
  • Leucophyllum zygophyllum I.M.Johnst.[7]

Hybrids
  • Leucophyllum × 'Heavenly Cloud' (L. frutescens 'Green Cloud' × L. laevigatum)
  • Leucophyllum × 'Rain Cloud' (L. frutescens × L. minus)[8]

References
  1. "Genus: Leucophyllum Humb. & Bonpl". Germplasm Resources Information Network. United States Department of Agriculture. 2008-01-31. Retrieved 2011-02-17.
  2. "Leucophyllum". Natural Resources Conservation Service PLANTS Database. USDA. Retrieved 2 June 2015.
  3. "Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center at The University of Texas at Austin - Leucophyllum frutescens". www.wildflower.org. University of Texas. Retrieved 30 July 2017.
  4. Holloway, Joel Ellis; Neill, Amanda (2005). A Dictionary of Common Wildflowers of Texas & the Southern Great Plains. TCU Press. p. 90. ISBN 978-0-87565-309-9.
  5. "Love those Sages". Mountain States Wholesale Nursery. Archived from the original on 2010-11-25. Retrieved 2010-12-03.
  6. "Leucophyllum". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved 2010-04-11.
  7. "Subordinate taxa of Leucophyllum Humb. & Bonpl". Tropicos. Missouri Botanical Garden. Retrieved 2010-12-03.
  8. "Leucophyllums for central Arizona urban landscapes". Arizona State University. Archived from the original on 2011-04-18. Retrieved 2011-02-17.
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