Galphimia
Encyclopedia
Galphimia is a genus
in the Malpighiaceae
, a family
of about 75 genera of flowering plant
s in the order Malpighiales
; the name is an anagram of Malpighia
. Galphimia comprises 26 species
of large herbs, shrubs, and treelets. Twenty-two species occur in Mexico
, one (G. angustifolia) extending into Texas
and one (G. speciosa) ranging to Nicaragua
; four species (G. amambayensis, G. australis, G. brasiliensis, G. platyphylla) occur in South America
, south of the Amazon Basin
. Galphimia gracilis
is widely cultivated in warm regions throughout the world (but often confused with G. glauca and also G. brasiliensis). Eight species (of Mexico
and Central America
) are distinctive in that the petals become stiff and papery, and persist past the stage of fruit maturation.
Galphimia is sometimes confused with Thryallis
, a different genus of Malpighiaceae
that occurs in Brazil
and adjacent Paraguay
and Bolivia
. At one time some species now assigned to Galphimia were referred to Thryallis, but the generic name Thryallis is now a conserved name
according to the rules of the International Code of Botanical Nomenclature. The genus Thryallis is distinctive in the stellate hairs and scales found on the vegetative parts, and in that the limb of the petals is much wider than long, traits not found in Galphimia.
Species
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
in the Malpighiaceae
Malpighiaceae
Malpighiaceae is a family of flowering plants in the order Malpighiales. It comprises approximately 75 genera and 1300 species, all of which are native to the tropics and subtropics...
, a family
Family (biology)
In biological classification, family is* a taxonomic rank. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, genus, and species, with family fitting between order and genus. As for the other well-known ranks, there is the option of an immediately lower rank, indicated by the...
of about 75 genera of flowering plant
Flowering plant
The flowering plants , also known as Angiospermae or Magnoliophyta, are the most diverse group of land plants. Angiosperms are seed-producing plants like the gymnosperms and can be distinguished from the gymnosperms by a series of synapomorphies...
s in the order Malpighiales
Malpighiales
Malpighiales is one of the largest orders of flowering plants, containing about 16000 species, approximately 7.8% of the eudicots. The order is very diverse and hard to recognize except with molecular phylogenetic evidence. It is not part of any of the classification systems that are based only on...
; the name is an anagram of Malpighia
Malpighia
Malpighia is a genus of flowering plants in the nance family, Malpighiaceae. It contains about 45 species of shrubs or small trees, all of which are native to the American tropics. The generic name honours Marcello Malpighi, a 17th century Italian physician and botanist. The species grow to tall,...
. Galphimia comprises 26 species
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
of large herbs, shrubs, and treelets. Twenty-two species occur in Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
, one (G. angustifolia) extending into Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
and one (G. speciosa) ranging to Nicaragua
Nicaragua
Nicaragua is the largest country in the Central American American isthmus, bordered by Honduras to the north and Costa Rica to the south. The country is situated between 11 and 14 degrees north of the Equator in the Northern Hemisphere, which places it entirely within the tropics. The Pacific Ocean...
; four species (G. amambayensis, G. australis, G. brasiliensis, G. platyphylla) occur in South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
, south of the Amazon Basin
Amazon Basin
The Amazon Basin is the part of South America drained by the Amazon River and its tributaries that drains an area of about , or roughly 40 percent of South America. The basin is located in the countries of Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru, and Venezuela...
. Galphimia gracilis
Galphimia gracilis
Galphimia gracilis, a species in the genus Galphimia of the family Malpighiaceae, is native to eastern Mexico. It is widely cultivated in warm regions throughout the world, often under the common names gold shower or shower-of-gold or sometimes thryallis...
is widely cultivated in warm regions throughout the world (but often confused with G. glauca and also G. brasiliensis). Eight species (of Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
and Central America
Central America
Central America is the central geographic region of the Americas. It is the southernmost, isthmian portion of the North American continent, which connects with South America on the southeast. When considered part of the unified continental model, it is considered a subcontinent...
) are distinctive in that the petals become stiff and papery, and persist past the stage of fruit maturation.
Galphimia is sometimes confused with Thryallis
Thryallis
Thryallis is a genus in the Malpighiaceae comprising 5 species of scandent shrubs and woody vines native to Brazil and adjacent Paraguay and Bolivia....
, a different genus of Malpighiaceae
Malpighiaceae
Malpighiaceae is a family of flowering plants in the order Malpighiales. It comprises approximately 75 genera and 1300 species, all of which are native to the tropics and subtropics...
that occurs in Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
and adjacent Paraguay
Paraguay
Paraguay , officially the Republic of Paraguay , is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the south and southwest, Brazil to the east and northeast, and Bolivia to the northwest. Paraguay lies on both banks of the Paraguay River, which runs through the center of the...
and Bolivia
Bolivia
Bolivia officially known as Plurinational State of Bolivia , is a landlocked country in central South America. It is the poorest country in South America...
. At one time some species now assigned to Galphimia were referred to Thryallis, but the generic name Thryallis is now a conserved name
Conserved name
A conserved name or nomen conservandum is a scientific name that has specific nomenclatural protection. Nomen conservandum is a Latin term, meaning a "name which should be conserved"...
according to the rules of the International Code of Botanical Nomenclature. The genus Thryallis is distinctive in the stellate hairs and scales found on the vegetative parts, and in that the limb of the petals is much wider than long, traits not found in Galphimia.
Species
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External links and references
- Malpighiaceae Malpighiaceae - description, taxonomy, phylogeny, and nomenclature
- Galphimia
- Thryallis
- Anderson, C. 2007. Revision of Galphimia (Malpighiaceae). Contributions from the University of Michigan Herbarium 25: 1–82.
- Anderson, C. 1995. Revision of Thryallis (Malpighiaceae). Contributions from the University of Michigan Herbarium 20: 3–14.