''Aphyllanthes'' is a
genus
Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below family. In binomial nom ...
of
flowering plant
Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (), commonly called angiosperms. The term "angiosperm" is derived from the Greek words ('container, vessel') and ('seed'), and refers to those plants th ...
s with only one
species
In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...
, ''Aphyllanthes monspeliensis'', endemic to the western
Mediterranean region
In biogeography, the Mediterranean Basin (; also known as the Mediterranean Region or sometimes Mediterranea) is the region of lands around the Mediterranean Sea that have mostly a Mediterranean climate, with mild to cool, rainy winters and wa ...
. It is the only genus in the Aphyllanthoideae, a subfamily of the
family
Family (from la, familia) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its members and of society. Idea ...
Asparagaceae. Aphyllanthoideae was formerly treated as a separate family, Aphyllanthaceae.
Aphyllanthes are popular rock garden plants due to their preferred habitat. Because they originate from the Mediterranean, they are adapted to hot and dry conditions. Additionally, their large and bright flowers are an attractive trait which has resulted in the increased cultivation of this species for market.
References
External links
NCBI Taxonomy Browserlinks at CSDL, Texas
{{Taxonbar, from1=Q2858279, from2=Q157951, from3=Q13835643
Monotypic Asparagaceae genera