''Cleome'' is a

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...

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 in the

family Family (from la, familia) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its ...

Cleomaceae The Cleomaceae are a small family of flowering plants in the order Brassicales, comprising about 300 species in 10 genera, or about 150 species in 17 genera.Cleomaceae, Zhang Mingli (张明理)1; Gordon C. Tucker2, Harvard.edu/ref> These genera ...

, commonly known as spider flowers, spider plants, spider weeds, or bee plants. Previously, it had been placed in the family

Capparaceae The Capparaceae (or Capparidaceae), commonly known as the caper family, are a family of plants in the order Brassicales. As currently circumscribed, the family contains 33 genera and about 700 species. The largest genera are '' Capparis'' (about ...

, until DNA studies found the Cleomaceae genera to be more closely related to the

Brassicaceae Brassicaceae () or (the older) Cruciferae () is a medium-sized and economically important family of flowering plants commonly known as the mustards, the crucifers, or the cabbage family. Most are herbaceous plants, while some are shrubs. The le ...

than the Capparaceae. Cleome and clammyweed, (''

Polanisia dodecandra ''Polanisia dodecandra'' is a species of flowering plant in the Cleomaceae family, known by the common name redwhisker clammyweed or clammyweed, and there are three subspecies of ''Polanisia''. Usually annual, occasionally perennial, Polanisia is ...

'') can sometimes be confused. The simplest way to differentiate the two is to compare the

seedpod This page provides a glossary of plant morphology. Botanists and other biologists who study plant morphology use a number of different terms to classify and identify plant organs and parts that can be observed using no more than a handheld magnify ...

s which project out or down on cleome and up on clammyweed. The genus ''

sensu stricto ''Sensu'' is a Latin word meaning "in the sense of". It is used in a number of fields including biology, geology, linguistics, semiotics, and law. Commonly it refers to how strictly or loosely an expression is used in describing any particular co ...

'' includes about 170 species of

herbaceous Herbaceous plants are vascular plants that have no persistent woody stems above ground. This broad category of plants includes many perennials, and nearly all annuals and biennials. Definitions of "herb" and "herbaceous" The fourth edition of t ...

annual Annual may refer to: * Annual publication, periodical publications appearing regularly once per year **Yearbook ** Literary annual * Annual plant * Annual report * Annual giving * Annual, Morocco, a settlement in northeastern Morocco * Annuals (b ...

perennial plant A perennial plant or simply perennial is a plant that lives more than two years. The term ('' per-'' + '' -ennial'', "through the years") is often used to differentiate a plant from shorter-lived annuals and biennials. The term is also wide ...

s and

shrub A shrub (often also called a bush) is a small-to-medium-sized perennial woody plant. Unlike herbaceous plants, shrubs have persistent woody stems above the ground. Shrubs can be either deciduous or evergreen. They are distinguished from trees ...

s.Huxley, A., ed. (1992). ''New RHS Dictionary of Gardening'' 1: 652-653. Macmillan. . The genus has a subcosmopolitan distribution throughout the tropical and warm temperate regions of the world. However, a recent DNA study failed to separate ''Cleome'', ''

Podandrogyne ''Podandrogyne'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Cleomaceae. They are closely related to genus ''Cleome ''Cleome'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Cleomaceae, commonly known as spider flowers, spider plants, spider w ...

'', and ''

Polanisia ''Polanisia'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Cleomaceae. Members of the genus are commonly known as clammyweeds. ''Polanisia jamesii'' is listed as locally endangered in Minnesota, while '' P. dodecandra'' is widespread through much ...

'' from each other, so some taxonomists have abandoned the last two of these genera, treating them as part of ''Cleome'' ''

sensu lato ''Sensu'' is a Latin word meaning "in the sense of". It is used in a number of fields including biology, geology, linguistics, semiotics, and law. Commonly it refers to how strictly or loosely an expression is used in describing any particular co ...

''; in this case, ''Cleome'' contains about 275 species, the vast majority of the Cleomaceae. The genus contains species which show an evolutionary progression from to photosynthesis. This, combined with it being very close to the

with the model plant species ''

Arabidopsis thaliana ''Arabidopsis thaliana'', the thale cress, mouse-ear cress or arabidopsis, is a small flowering plant native to Eurasia and Africa. ''A. thaliana'' is considered a weed; it is found along the shoulders of roads and in disturbed land. A winter a ...

'', makes it an ideal genus in which to study the evolution of photosynthesis. Morphological differences that demonstrate the transition from to include species having leaves with more

veins Veins are blood vessels in humans and most other animals that carry blood towards the heart. Most veins carry deoxygenated blood from the tissues back to the heart; exceptions are the pulmonary and umbilical veins, both of which carry oxygenated b ...

and larger bundle sheath cells. Also, species such as ''

Cleome gynandra ''Cleome gynandra'' is a species of '' Cleome'' that is used as a green vegetable. It is known by many common names including Shona cabbage, African cabbage, spiderwisp, cat's whiskers, , and stinkweed. It is an annual wildflower native to Afr ...

'' produce

protein Proteins are large biomolecules and macromolecules that comprise one or more long chains of amino acid residues. Proteins perform a vast array of functions within organisms, including catalysing metabolic reactions, DNA replication, respo ...

s needed for photosynthesis. Three species independently acquired the pathway, while others are – intermediate or -like.

Selected species

Sources:Germplasm Resources Information Network
''Cleome'' list
Flora Europaea
''Cleome'' list
/ref>USDA Plants Profile
''Cleome'' list
/ref>Efloras
''Cleome'' search results
/ref> *''

Cleome aculeata ''Cleome'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Cleomaceae, commonly known as spider flowers, spider plants, spider weeds, or bee plants. Previously, it had been placed in the family Capparaceae, until DNA studies found the Cleomaceae ge ...

'' L., tropical *''

Cleome angustifolia ''Cleome angustifolia'', known as golden cleome, yellow cleome or yellow mouse whiskers, is an African species of plant in the Cleomaceae family. It is common along roadsides and in disturbed areas and is eaten as vegetable locally. Swedish natur ...

'' Forssk.; African – *''

Cleome anomala ''Cleome'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Cleomaceae, commonly known as spider flowers, spider plants, spider weeds, or bee plants. Previously, it had been placed in the family Capparaceae, until DNA studies found the Cleomaceae ge ...

'' Kunth; neotropical *''

Cleome arborea ''Cleome'' is a genus (biology), genus of flowering plants in the family (biology), family Cleomaceae, commonly known as spider flowers, spider plants, spider weeds, or bee plants. Previously, it had been placed in the family Capparaceae, until ...

'' Kunth *''

Cleome arenitensis ''Cleome arenitensis'' is a species of plant in the Cleomaceae The Cleomaceae are a small family of flowering plants in the order Brassicales, comprising about 300 species in 10 genera, or about 150 species in 17 genera.Cleomaceae, Zhang Ming ...

'' Craven, Lepschi & Fryxell *''

Cleome aspera ''Cleome'' is a genus (biology), genus of flowering plants in the family (biology), family Cleomaceae, commonly known as spider flowers, spider plants, spider weeds, or bee plants. Previously, it had been placed in the family Capparaceae, until ...

'' Koen. ex DC. *'' Cleome augustinensis'' (Hochr.) Briq. *'' cleome ciliata'' D.Dian *''

Cleome chilensis ''Cleome'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Cleomaceae, commonly known as spider flowers, spider plants, spider weeds, or bee plants. Previously, it had been placed in the family Capparaceae, until DNA studies found the Cleomaceae ge ...

'' DC. *'' Cleome cleomoides'' (F.Muell.) Iltis *'' Cleome cordobensis'' Eichler ex Griseb. *'' Cleome diffusa'' Banks ex DC. *'' Cleome droserifolia'' Forssk. (Delile) *'' Cleome eosina'' J.F.Macbr. *'' Cleome felina'' L.f. *'' Cleome flexuosa'' F.Dietr. *'' Cleome foliosa'' Hook.f. *'' Cleome gigantea'' L. *'' Cleome glabra'' Taub. ex Glaz. *'' Cleome guianensis'' Aubl. *''

'' L. – *''

Cleome hassleriana ''Cleome hassleriana'', commonly known as spider flower, spider plant, pink queen, or grandfather's whiskers, is a species of flowering plant in the genus '' Cleome'' of the family Cleomaceae, native to southern South America in Argentina, Para ...

'' Chodat *'' Cleome herrerae'' J.F.Macbr. *''

Cleome hirta ''Cleome'' is a genus (biology), genus of flowering plants in the family (biology), family Cleomaceae, commonly known as spider flowers, spider plants, spider weeds, or bee plants. Previously, it had been placed in the family Capparaceae, until ...

'' (Klotzsch) Oliv. *'' Cleome iberica'' DC. *'' Cleome isomeris'' Greene *'' Cleome kenneallyi'' Hewson *'' Cleome lanceolata'' (Mart. & Zucc.) H.H.Iltis *'' Cleome lechleri'' Eichler *''

Cleome lutea ''Cleome lutea'' is a species of cleome known by the common names yellow bee plant and yellow spiderflower. This annual wildflower is native to the western United States where it is most common in desert scrub and plateau habitats. It is a sprawl ...

'' Hook. *'' Cleome maculata'' (Sond.) Szyszył. *'' Cleome micrantha'' Desv. ex Ham. *'' Cleome monophylla'' L. *'' Cleome multicaulis'' DC. *'' Cleome ornithopodioides'' L. *''

Cleome oxalidea ''Cleome oxalidea'' is a species of plant in the Cleomaceae family and is found in Western Australia. The annual or ephemeral herb has a rosetted habit and typically grows to a height of . It blooms between January and September producing blue-p ...

'' F.Muell. – *'' Cleome paludosa'' Willd. ex Eichler *'' Cleome parviflora'' Kunth *'' Cleome pilosa'' *'' Cleome platycarpa'' Torr. *'' Cleome psoraleifolia'' DC. *'' Cleome rubella'' Burch. *'' Cleome rutidosperma'' DC. *'' Cleome serrata'' Jacq. *''

Cleome serrulata ''Cleome serrulata'' (syn. ''Peritoma serrulata''), commonly known as Rocky Mountain beeplant/beeweed, stinking-clover, bee spider-flower, skunk weed, Navajo spinach, and guaco, is a species of annual plant in the genus ''Cleome''. Many species o ...

'' Pursh *'' Cleome sparsifolia'' S.Wats. *'' Cleome speciosa'' Raf. *''

Cleome spinosa ''Cleome spinosa'', called the spiny spiderflower, is a species of flowering plant in the genus ''Cleome ''Cleome'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Cleomaceae, commonly known as spider flowers, spider plants, spider weeds, or bee ...

'' Jacq. *'' Cleome stenophylla'' Klotzsch ex Urban *''

Cleome stylosa ''Cleome'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Cleomaceae, commonly known as spider flowers, spider plants, spider weeds, or bee plants. Previously, it had been placed in the family Capparaceae, until DNA studies found the Cleomaceae ge ...

'' Eichler *'' Cleome tetrandra'' DC. *''

Cleome titubans ''Cleome'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Cleomaceae, commonly known as spider flowers, spider plants, spider weeds, or bee plants. Previously, it had been placed in the family Capparaceae, until DNA studies found the Cleomaceae ge ...

'' Speg. *'' Cleome trachycarpa'' Klotzsch ex Eichler *'' Cleome tucumanensis'' H.H.Iltis *'' Cleome uncifera'' Kers *'' Cleome violacea'' L. *'' Cleome viridiflora'' Schreb. *''

Cleome viscosa ''Cleome viscosa'', the Asian spiderflower or tick weed is an annual herb that grows up to a meter high. It belongs to the family Cleomaceae. It is considered an invasive species and is widely distributed in warm and humid habitats across the Ame ...

'' L. *'' Cleome werdermannii'' A. Ernst *'' Cleome monophylla''

Cultivation and uses

''Cleome gynandra'' is used as a vegetable crop. ''C. hassleriana'' is a commonly cultivated ornamental plant with purple, pink, or white flowers.

Gallery of species

File:Cleome chelidonii plant.jpg, ''

Cleome chelidonii ''Cleome chelidonii'' is a species of plant in the family Cleomaceae The Cleomaceae are a small family of flowering plants in the order Brassicales, comprising about 300 species in 10 genera, or about 150 species in 17 genera.Cleomaceae, Zhang ...

'' File:Cleome foliosa IMG 8601.JPG, ''Cleome foliosa'', from arid region in

Namibia Namibia (, ), officially the Republic of Namibia, is a country in Southern Africa. Its western border is the Atlantic Ocean. It shares land borders with Zambia and Angola to the north, Botswana to the east and South Africa to the south and ea ...

File:Starr 061128-1587 Cleome gynandra.jpg, ''

'', cultivated as a vegetable File:Spider flower -- Cleome 'Inncleosr' Senorita Rosalita.jpg, ''Cleome 'Inncleosr' Senorita Rosalita'' File:Tarenaya hassleriana o Cleome Hassleriana o Cleome Spinosa.jpg, ''

''Flora of China 7: 430–431. 2008
''Tarenaya Rafinesque''
/ref> a common garden ornamental File:Cleome monophylla W3 IMG_1882.jpg, '' Cleome monophylla'' File:Cleome oxyphylla var. oxyphylla 1DS-II 7380.jpg, '' Cleome oxyphylla'' File:Cleome rutidosperma 05859.jpg, '' Cleome rutidosperma'' File:Cleome spinosa 2012.jpg, ''

'' File:Cleome_viscosa_by_kadavoor.jpg, ''

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q2086565 Brassicales genera