''Othonna'' 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 ...

of approximately 90 species of succulent or subsucculent perennial herbs or shrubs, with its center of diversity in the Greater Cape Floristic Region (GCFR) of

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 ...

but some species' ranges include southern

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 ...

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

, and

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 ...

. The genus was established by Linnaeus in 1753 containing 14 species, however, of those original species, only four are still retained in ''Othonna'', while the others have been transferred to different genera including ''

Cineraria ''Cineraria'' is a genus of flowering plants in the sunflower family, native primarily to southern Africa with a few species farther north. The genus includes herbaceous plants and small subshrubs. In the past, the genus was commonly viewed ...

'', '' Euryops'', '' Hertia'', ''

Ligularia ''Ligularia'' (leopard plant) is a genus of Old World herbaceous perennial plants in the groundsel tribe within the sunflower family. They have yellow or orange composite flower heads with brown or yellow central disc florets, and are native t ...

'', ''

Senecio ''Senecio'' is a genus of flowering plants in the daisy family (Asteraceae) that includes ragworts and groundsels. Variously circumscribed taxonomically, the genus ''Senecio'' is one of the largest genera of flowering plants. Description Morp ...

'', and ''

Tephroseris ''Tephroseris'' is a genus of Eurasian and North American plants in the groundsel tribe within the daisy family.Lauber, K. and G. Wagner. ''Flora Helvetica'', 4th ed. The following species are recognised in the genus ''Tephroseris'': *'' ...

''. The genus Othonnna is known to be monophyletic. In 2012, a new genus ''

Crassothonna ''Crassothonna'' is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the family Asteraceae The family Asteraceae, alternatively Compositae, consists of over 32,000 known species of flowering plants in over 1,900 genera within the order Asterales. ...

'' B. Nord. was erected with 13 species transferred from ''Othonna''. A complete modern taxonomic treatment of the genus is being undertaken by the Compton Herbarium and the

South African National Biodiversity Institute The South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI) is an organisation established in 2004 in terms of the National Environmental Management: Biodiversity Act, No 10 of 2004, under the South African Department of Environmental Affairs ( ...

. The first part, a revision of the ''Othonnna bulbosa'' group (those species that are geophytic with an aerial stem), was published in 2019. The name ''Othonna'' is derived from the Ancient Greek ὄθοννα and the Latin othone, which is a linen cloth or napkin, in allusion to the downy covering of some of the earlier known species. Several species in the ''Othonna'' and ''Crassothonna'' are commonly called bobbejaankool in

Afrikaans Afrikaans (, ) is a West Germanic language that evolved in the Dutch Cape Colony from the Dutch vernacular of Holland proper (i.e., the Hollandic dialect) used by Dutch, French, and German settlers and their enslaved people. Afrikaans gra ...

which translates to baboon cress or baboon cabbages. Species in the ''Othonna bulbosa'' group ; Species

References

External links

* * {{Taxonbar, from=Q5230439 Asteraceae genera Flora of Southern Africa