''Kewa'' 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, consisting of eight species of succulent sub-woody plants, native to eastern and southern Africa, including

Saint Helena Saint Helena () is a British overseas territory located in the South Atlantic Ocean. It is a remote volcanic tropical island west of the coast of south-western Africa, and east of Rio de Janeiro in South America. It is one of three constitu ...

and

Madagascar Madagascar (; mg, Madagasikara, ), officially the Republic of Madagascar ( mg, Repoblikan'i Madagasikara, links=no, ; french: République de Madagascar), is an island country in the Indian Ocean, approximately off the coast of East Africa ...

. These are small

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 or

herb In general use, herbs are a widely distributed and widespread group of plants, excluding vegetables and other plants consumed for macronutrients, with savory or aromatic properties that are used for flavoring and garnishing food, for medicinal ...

s that form cushions and have edible, acid-tasting leaves. ''Kewa'' is the only genus in the family Kewaceae. The species were formerly included in the genus ''

Hypertelis ''Hypertelis'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Molluginaceae. Most of its former species have been transferred to the new genus '' Kewa'', and the remaining species, ''Hypertelis spergulacea'', may also need a different placement. '' ...

'' of the family

Molluginaceae The Molluginaceae are a family of flowering plants recognized by several taxonomists. It was previously included in the larger family Aizoaceae. The APG III system of 2009 made no change in the status of the family as compared to the APG II syst ...

, but molecular studies have shown that most species did not belong there, but were rather distantly related to Molluginaceae, being placed in a clade comprising

Aizoaceae The Aizoaceae, or fig-marigold family, is a large family of dicotyledonous flowering plant Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (), commonly called angiosperms. The term "angiosperm" is d ...

Gisekiaceae ''Gisekia'' is a genus of flowering plants. It is the only genus in the family Gisekiaceae. The family was recognized in the APG II system (2003) and assigned to the order Caryophyllales in the clade core eudicots. This represents a change from t ...

and

Barbeuiaceae ''Barbeuia madagascariensis'' is a liana found only on the island of Madagascar. ''Barbeuia'' has occasionally been placed in its own family, Barbeuiaceae. The APG II system of 2003, for instance, recognizes such a family and assigns it to the ...

. Only the

type species In zoological nomenclature, a type species (''species typica'') is the species name with which the name of a genus or subgenus is considered to be permanently taxonomically associated, i.e., the species that contains the biological type specimen ...

Hypertelis spergulacea ''Hypertelis'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Molluginaceae. Most of its former species have been transferred to the new genus '' Kewa'', and the remaining species, ''Hypertelis spergulacea'', may also need a different placement. '' ...

'' remains in Molluginaceae; all others are transferred to the genus ''Kewa'', which was named for

Kew Kew () is a district in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. Its population at the 2011 census was 11,436. Kew is the location of the Royal Botanic Gardens ("Kew Gardens"), now a World Heritage Site, which includes Kew Palace. Kew is a ...

, where the

Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew is a non-departmental public body in the United Kingdom sponsored by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. An internationally important botanical research and education institution, it employs 1,100 ...

are situated.

Species

Species transferred to ''Kewa'' from ''Hypertelis'' in 2014 were: *''

Kewa acida ''Kewa acida'' is one of the eight species currently recognized in the genus '' Kewa'', the sole genus in the family Kewaceae. It is a bushy grey-leaved annual or short-lived perennial plant, with white flowers, endemic to St Helena, where it ha ...

'' (Hook.f.) Christenh. –

*''

Kewa angrae-pequenae Kewa may refer to: * ''Kewa'' (plant), a genus of plants belonging to the family Kewaceae, formerly placed in ''Hypertelis'', Molluginaceae * Kéwa, a rural commune of the Cercle of Djenné in the Mopti Region of Mali * Kewa language of Papua New ...

'' (Friedrich) Christenh. –

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 ...

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring countri ...

*''

Kewa arenicola Kewa may refer to: * ''Kewa'' (plant), a genus of plants belonging to the family Kewaceae, formerly placed in ''Hypertelis'', Molluginaceae * Kéwa, a rural commune of the Cercle of Djenné in the Mopti Region of Mali * Kewa language of Papua New ...

'' (Sond.) Christenh. – South Africa *''

Kewa bowkeriana Kewa may refer to: * ''Kewa'' (plant), a genus of plants belonging to the family Kewaceae, formerly placed in ''Hypertelis'', Molluginaceae * Kéwa, a rural commune of the Cercle of Djenné in the Mopti Region of Mali * Kewa language of Papua New ...

'' (Sond.) Christenh. –

Ethiopia Ethiopia, , om, Itiyoophiyaa, so, Itoobiya, ti, ኢትዮጵያ, Ítiyop'iya, aa, Itiyoppiya officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a landlocked country in the Horn of Africa. It shares borders with Eritrea to the ...

Kenya ) , national_anthem = "Ee Mungu Nguvu Yetu"() , image_map = , map_caption = , image_map2 = , capital = Nairobi , coordinates = , largest_city = Nairobi , ...

Tanzania Tanzania (; ), officially the United Republic of Tanzania ( sw, Jamhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania), is a country in East Africa within the African Great Lakes region. It borders Uganda to the north; Kenya to the northeast; Comoro Islands and ...

Mozambique Mozambique (), officially the Republic of Mozambique ( pt, Moçambique or , ; ny, Mozambiki; sw, Msumbiji; ts, Muzambhiki), is a country located in southeastern Africa bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east, Tanzania to the north, Malawi ...

Zimbabwe Zimbabwe (), officially the Republic of Zimbabwe, is a landlocked country located in Southeast Africa, between the Zambezi and Limpopo Rivers, bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the south-west, Zambia to the north, and Mozam ...

Botswana Botswana (, ), officially the Republic of Botswana ( tn, Lefatshe la Botswana, label=Setswana, ), is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. Botswana is topographically flat, with approximately 70 percent of its territory being the Kalahar ...

*''

Kewa caespitosa Kewa may refer to: * ''Kewa'' (plant), a genus of plants belonging to the family Kewaceae, formerly placed in ''Hypertelis'', Molluginaceae * Kéwa, a rural commune of the Cercle of Djenné in the Mopti Region of Mali * Kewa language of Papua New ...

'' (Friedrich) Christenh. – Namibia, South Africa *''

Kewa salsoloides Kewa may refer to: * ''Kewa'' (plant), a genus of plants belonging to the family Kewaceae, formerly placed in ''Hypertelis'', Molluginaceae * Kéwa, a rural commune of the Cercle of Djenné in the Mopti Region of Mali * Kewa language of Papua New ...

'' (Burch.) Christenh. – Mozambique,

Angola , national_anthem = " Angola Avante"() , image_map = , map_caption = , capital = Luanda , religion = , religion_year = 2020 , religion_ref = , coordina ...

, Namibia, South Africa *''

Kewa suffruticosa Kewa may refer to: * ''Kewa'' (plant), a genus of plants belonging to the family Kewaceae, formerly placed in ''Hypertelis'', Molluginaceae * Kéwa, a rural commune of the Cercle of Djenné in the Mopti Region of Mali * Kewa language of Papua New ...

'' (Baker) Christenh. –

*'' Kewa trachysperma'' (Adamson) Christenh. – South Africa

Cultivation

Plants are perennial but relatively short lived. They can easily be propagated from seed and make attractive cushion-like shrubs with leathery leaves and many starry white flowers.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q23954775 Caryophyllales Caryophyllales genera Flora of Africa Taxa named by Maarten J. M. Christenhusz