Genus of the Month
April
This page has been created for people who want to learn more about plants, especially in the
context of their taxonomy (Latin names, etc.). This is by no means an exhaustive list of
all available Web resources for a particular genus.
If you like this page, you might also want to visit the Land of the Glandular Trichomes
, a microscopic look at plants in the Lamiaceae family. Also, you can see my contribution to the
Conservation New England web site, entitled
"The Introduction of Non-Native Plants into Massachusetts".
This month's genus:
Fouquieria
Subclass: Dicotyledoneae
Superorder: Dilleniidae
Order: Violales
Family: Fouquieriaceae
Number of Species: 7
Root: Named for Pierre Fouquier (
Ref.)
Plants in the genus Fouquieria, like all species in the Fouquieriaceae, are native to
Mexico and the Southwestern United States. These trees and shrubs have adapted to their
harsh, arid climate by producing new leaves only in response to rain.
Here are a few links to images and descriptions of different Fouquieria species:
- Click here to see a picture and
description of F. columnaris, a spectacular plant also known by the common name "Boojum". Brought to you by the folks at Arid Lands Greenhouses.
- Click here to see
Clarke Brunt's photos of F. splendens ("Ocotillo") in flower.
- Read a nice
little history of Fouquieria, an excerpt from the book Seasons in the Desert,
written by Susan J. Tweit, and published by Chronicle Books.
References:
- Heywood, V.H., ed. Flowering Plants of the World. New York, Oxford University Press: 1993.
- Spellenberg, Richard. National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American
Wildflowers, Western Region. New York, Alfred A. Knopf: 1994.
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