Minuartia

Minuartia is a genus of flowering plants commonly known as sandworts in the family Caryophyllaceae.

Minuartia
Minuartia gerardii
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Order: Caryophyllales
Family: Caryophyllaceae
Genus: Minuartia
L.
Type species
Minuartia dichotoma
L.
Species

See text

Minuartias are small annual or perennial plants which grow in otherwise inhospitable conditions such as on rocky ledges and in stony soil. The genus is widely distributed in the northern hemisphere, mainly distributed in Europe, in the Mediterranean region, and north Africa, southwest Asia, and the Caucasus Mountains.[1][2]

Many Minuartia species were formerly classed in the genus Arenaria, and the obsolete genus Alsine. In 2014, the polyphyletic Minuartia sensu lato was recircumscribed, with many of the species transferred to other genera, including Cherleria, Eremogone, Facchinia, Mcneillia, Minuartiella, Mononeuria, Pseudocherleria, Rhodalsine, Sabulina, and Triplateia.[1] Minuartia sensu stricto is characterized by the following features: leaves linear-setaceous; 5 acute sepals with 3, 5, or 9-veins; 5 white petals; 3 styles, forming 3-parted capsules.[1]

The genus was named for Juan Minuart (1693–1768), a Spanish botanist and pharmacist.[3]

Selected species

References

  1. Dillenberger, Markus S.; Kadereit, Joachim W. (1 February 2014). "Maximum polyphyly: Multiple origins and delimitation with plesiomorphic characters require a new circumscription of (Caryophyllaceae)". Taxon. 63 (1): 64–88. doi:10.12705/631.5.
  2. "Minuartia". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanical Gardens Kew. Retrieved 2018-10-21.
  3. Wilhelm, Gerould; Rericha, Laura (2017). Flora of the Chicago Region: A Floristic and Ecological Synthesis. Indiana Academy of Sciences.
  4. "Sandwort.eu".
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