''Xerophyta'' is a plant genus in the family
Velloziaceae
Velloziaceae is a family of monocotyledonous flowering plants. The APG II system, of 2003 (unchanged from the APG system, 1998), also recognizes this family, and assigns it to the order Pandanales.
Relationships and evolution
By contrast to oth ...
named in 1789. It is native to
Africa
Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia in both cases. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of Earth's total surface area ...
,
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 ...
, and the
Arabian Peninsula
The Arabian Peninsula, (; ar, شِبْهُ الْجَزِيرَةِ الْعَرَبِيَّة, , "Arabian Peninsula" or , , "Island of the Arabs") or Arabia, is a peninsula of Western Asia, situated northeast of Africa on the Arabian Plate ...
.
[Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families]
/ref>
Some species in this genus are poikilochlorophyllous plants. This means that during dry climatic conditions, they lose chlorophyll
Chlorophyll (also chlorophyl) is any of several related green pigments found in cyanobacteria and in the chloroplasts of algae and plants. Its name is derived from the Greek words , ("pale green") and , ("leaf"). Chlorophyll allow plants to a ...
and cease photosynthesis
Photosynthesis is a process used by plants and other organisms to convert light energy into chemical energy that, through cellular respiration, can later be released to fuel the organism's activities. Some of this chemical energy is stored i ...
and transpiration
Transpiration is the process of water movement through a plant and its evaporation from aerial parts, such as leaves, stems and flowers. Water is necessary for plants but only a small amount of water taken up by the roots is used for growth a ...
. Thus they are extremely tolerant of desiccation
Desiccation () is the state of extreme dryness, or the process of extreme drying. A desiccant is a hygroscopic (attracts and holds water) substance that induces or sustains such a state in its local vicinity in a moderately sealed container.
...
. Hence the name ''Xerophyta'', from Ancient Greek ξηρός (xeros, "dry") and φυτά (phutá), plural of φυτόν (phutón, “plant”).Wiktionary
/ref>
; Species[
; formerly included][
moved to other genera: '']Barbaceniopsis
''Barbaceniopsis'' is a plant genus in the family Velloziaceae, described as a genus in 1962. It is native to South America (Peru, Bolivia, northern Argentina)
; Species
* '' Barbaceniopsis boliviensis'' (Baker) L.B.Sm. - Bolivia, northern Argen ...
Nanuza
''Nanuza'' is a plant genus in the family Velloziaceae, described as a genus in 1976. The entire genus is endemic to Brazil.
; Species
* ''Nanuza almeidae'' R.J.V.Alves - Bahia, Espirito Santo, Rio de Janeiro
* ''Nanuza luetzelburgii'' R.J.V.Al ...
Vellozia
''Vellozia'' is a plant genus in the family Velloziaceae, established in 1788.
The genus is endemic to South America except for one species ''(V. tubiflora),'' whose range extends into Panama. Most of the species are native to Brazil, with a den ...
''
See also
* Resurrection plant A resurrection plant is any poikilohydric plant that can survive extreme dehydration, even over months or years.
Examples include:
* ''Anastatica hierochuntica'', also known as the Rose of Jericho, a plant species native to deserts of North Africa ...
References
External links
Velloziaceae
Pandanales genera
{{Pandanales-stub