''Colletia'' 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 t ...
s in 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 ...
Rhamnaceae
The Rhamnaceae are a large family of flowering plants, mostly trees, shrubs, and some vines, commonly called the buckthorn family. Rhamnaceae is included in the order Rosales.
The family contains about 55 genera and 950 species. The Rhamnaceae ...
, with five species of spiny
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 tree ...
s. All
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 appropriat ...
of this genus are native to southern
South America
South America is a continent entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere at the northern tip of the continent. It can also be described as the sou ...
. They are
non-legume nitrogen fixers.
Taxonomy
Species
''Colletia'' comprises the following species:
* ''
Colletia hystrix''
Clos - pink crucifixion thorn
* ''
Colletia paradoxa''
(Spreng.) Escal. - crucifixion thorn, thorn of the cross, anchor plant
* ''
Colletia spartioides''
Bertero ex Colla
* ''
Colletia spinosissima''
J.F.Gmel.
* ''
Colletia ulicina''
Gillies & Hook.
Species names with uncertain taxonomic status
The status of the following species and hybrids is unresolved:
* ''Colletia campanulata''
Phil.
* ''Colletia crenata''
Regel
* ''Colletia cruzerillo''
Bertero
* ''Colletia disperma''
Moc. & Sessé ex DC.
* ''Colletia horrida''
Brongn. ex Drap.
* ''Colletia iguanaea''
Scop.
* ''Colletia insidiosa''
Reissek
* ''Colletia longissima''
Steud.
* ''Colletia maytenoides''
Griseb.
* ''Colletia spartioides''
Bertero ex Savi
* ''Colletia spicata''
Humb. & Bonpl. ex Schult.
* ''Colletia tetrandra''
Clos
* ''Colletia tralhuen''
Bertero ex Colla
* ''Colletia treba''
Bertero ex Colla
* ''Colletia velutina''
Spreng.
References
*
External links
*
Strange Wonderful Things: Colletia paradoxa
Rhamnaceae
Rhamnaceae genera
{{Rhamnaceae-stub