''Manihot'' 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 ...

in the diverse milkspurge

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 ...

Euphorbiaceae Euphorbiaceae, the spurge family, is a large family of flowering plants. In English, they are also commonly called euphorbias, which is also the name of a genus in the family. Most spurges, such as '' Euphorbia paralias'', are herbs, but some, ...

. It was described as a genus in 1754.Miller, Philip. 1754. Gardeners Dictionary...Abridged...fourth edition vol. 2Tropicos, ''Manihot'' Mill.
/ref> Species of ''Manihot'' are monoecious . . trees, shrubs and a few herbs that are native to the

Americas The Americas, which are sometimes collectively called America, are a landmass comprising the totality of North and South America. The Americas make up most of the land in Earth's Western Hemisphere and comprise the New World. Along with th ...

, from

Arizona Arizona ( ; nv, Hoozdo Hahoodzo ; ood, Alĭ ṣonak ) is a state in the Southwestern United States. It is the 6th largest and the 14th most populous of the 50 states. Its capital and largest city is Phoenix. Arizona is part of the Fou ...

in the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...

south to

Argentina Argentina (), officially the Argentine Republic ( es, link=no, República Argentina), is a country in the southern half of South America. Argentina covers an area of , making it the second-largest country in South America after Brazil, th ...

and Uruguay.Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families
/ref> The best known member of this genus is the widely cultivated

cassava ''Manihot esculenta'', commonly called cassava (), manioc, or yuca (among numerous regional names), is a woody shrub of the spurge family, Euphorbiaceae, native to South America. Although a perennial plant, cassava is extensively cultivated ...

(''Manihot esculenta''). ''Manihot'' species are used as food plants by the larvae of some species of Lepidoptera including ''

Endoclita sericeus ''Endoclita sericeus'' is a species of moth of the family Hepialidae first described by Charles Swinhoe in 1901. It is known from Java, Indonesia. Food plants for this species include ''Albizia'', ''Camellia'', ''Cinchona'', ''Crotalaria'', '' M ...

'' and ''

Hypercompe hambletoni ''Hypercompe hambletoni'' is a moth of the family Erebidae first described by William Schaus in 1938. It is found in Brazil. Larvae have been recorded feeding on ''Bidens'', ''Eriobotrya'', ''Gossypium'', ''Hibiscus'', '' Manihot'' and ''Ricin ...

''. ;Species ;variety treated as a species # ''Manihot carthaginensis'' subsp. ''glaziovii'' = '' Manihot glaziovii'' (Müll.Arg.) Allem ;formerly included moved to ''

Aleurites ''Aleurites'' is a small genus of arborescent flowering plants in the Euphorbiaceae, first described as a genus in 1776. It is native to China, the Indian Subcontinent, Southeast Asia, Papuasia, and Queensland. It is also reportedly naturalized o ...

Cnidoscolus ''Cnidoscolus'' is a plant genus of the family Euphorbiaceae first described as a genus in 1827. The group is widespread across much of North and South America, including the West Indies. The name is derived from the Greek words κνίδη (''kn ...

Jatropha ''Jatropha'' is a genus of flowering plants in the spurge family, Euphorbiaceae. The name is derived from the Greek words ἰατρός (''iatros''), meaning "physician", and τροφή (''trophe''), meaning "nutrition", hence the common name ...

Pollination

Monoecy was demonstrated by Jennings 1963 and George & Shifriss 1967.

References

External links

{{Taxonbar, from=Q149056 Manihoteae Euphorbiaceae genera Taxa named by Philip Miller