''Fouquieria'' 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 11
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 appropriate s ...
of
desert
A desert is a barren area of landscape where little precipitation occurs and, consequently, living conditions are hostile for plant and animal life. The lack of vegetation exposes the unprotected surface of the ground to denudation. About on ...
plant
Plants are predominantly photosynthetic eukaryotes of the kingdom Plantae. Historically, the plant kingdom encompassed all living things that were not animals, and included algae and fungi; however, all current definitions of Plantae exclud ...
s, the sole genus in the
family
Family (from la, familia) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its ...
Fouquieriaceae. The genus includes the ocotillo (''
F. splendens'') and the Boojum tree or cirio (''
F. columnaris''). They have semi
succulent
In botany, succulent plants, also known as succulents, are plants with parts that are thickened, fleshy, and engorged, usually to retain water in arid climates or soil conditions. The word ''succulent'' comes from the Latin word ''sucus'', meani ...
stems with thinner spikes projecting from them, with leaf, leaves on the bases spikes. They are unrelated to cactus, cacti and do not look much like them; their stems are proportionately thinner than cactus stems and their leaves are larger.
Taxonomy
Taxonomic history
''Fouquieria'' species do not have a particularly close resemblance to any other sort of plants; genetic evidence has shown they belong in the Ericales. Before this, they had been variously placed in the Violales or their own order, Fouquieriales.
The Seri people identify three species of ''Fouquieria'' in their area of Mexico: ''jomjéeziz'' or ''xomjéeziz'' (''
F. splendens''), ''jomjéeziz caacöl'' (''Fouquieria diguetii, F. diguetii'', Baja California tree ocotillo), and ''cototaj'' (''Boojum tree, F. columnaris'', boojum).
Etymology
The genus is named after French physician Pierre Fouquier (1776-1850).
Ecology
''Fouquieria shrevei'' is endemism, endemic to the Cuatro Ciénegas Basin in Mexico, and is unusual in possessing vertical resinous wax bands on the stems, and exhibits gypsophily, the ability to grow on soils with a high concentration of gypsum. It has aromatic white flowers and is presumed to be moth-pollinated. Other species in the genus with orange or red flowers are pollinated by hummingbirds or carpenter bees. ''Fouquieria diguetii'' is host to a peacock mite, ''Tuckerella eloisae''.
The spines of ''Fouquieria'' develop in an unusual way, from a woody thickening on the outer (lower) side of the leaf Petiole (botany), petiole, which remains after the leaf blade and most of the petiole separate and fall from the plant.
[W. J. Robinson, 1904. The spines of ''Fouquieria''. ''Bulletin of the Torrey Botanical Club''. 31(1):45–50]
Distribution and habitat
These plants are native to northern Mexico and the bordering United States, US states of Arizona, southern California, New Mexico, and parts of southwestern Texas, favoring low, arid hillsides.
Species
References
*
External links
The Fouquieria Page at the National University of Mexico with photos of the species in the wild
i
L. Watson and M.J. Dallwitz (1992 onwards). The families of flowering plants.
{{Taxonbar, from=Q133229
Fouquieria,
Ericales genera