''Austroflourensia'' is a genus of

flowering plant Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (). The term angiosperm is derived from the Ancient Greek, Greek words (; 'container, vessel') and (; 'seed'), meaning that the seeds are enclosed with ...

s in the family

Asteraceae Asteraceae () is a large family (biology), family of flowering plants that consists of over 32,000 known species in over 1,900 genera within the Order (biology), order Asterales. The number of species in Asteraceae is rivaled only by the Orchi ...

. It includes 12 species of shrubs and subshrubs native to South America, ranging from Peru to southern Argentina, typically on arid and semi-arid lands. Most of the species in this genus were previously included in genus '' Flourensia'', which included both North American and South American species. Molecular phylogenetic and morphological studies found that ''Flourensia'' as previously circumscribed was

polyphyletic A polyphyletic group is an assemblage that includes organisms with mixed evolutionary origin but does not include their most recent common ancestor. The term is often applied to groups that share similar features known as Homoplasy, homoplasies ...

, and in 2023 12 South American species were placed in the new genus ''Austroflourensia''. The species in ''Austroflourensia'' are distinguished from the North American species by its shrubby or

subshrub A subshrub (Latin ''suffrutex'') or undershrub is either a small shrub (e.g. prostrate shrubs) or a perennial that is largely herbaceous but slightly woody at the base (e.g. garden pink and florist's chrysanthemum). The term is often interch ...

by habit, capitula always radiate and usually arranged in weakly

cymose In botany, an inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a plant's stem that is composed of a main branch or a system of branches. An inflorescence is categorized on the basis of the arrangement of flowers on a main axis ( p ...

corymbose Corymb is a botanical term for an inflorescence with the flowers growing in such a fashion that the outermost are borne on longer pedicels than the inner, bringing all flowers up to a common level. A corymb has a flattish top with a superficial re ...

capitulescences, 2-3-seriate

phyllaries In botanical terminology, a phyllary, also known an involucral bract or tegule, is a single bract of the involucre of a composite flower. The involucre is the grouping of bracts together. Phyllaries are reduced leaf-like structures that form one o ...

, and shortly dentate disc corollas. ''Austroflourensia'' is related to the other four genera in subtribe Enceliinae – ''

Encelia ''Encelia'' is a genus of the Family (biology), plant family Asteraceae whose members are frequently called brittlebushes. It consists of shrubs (and one geophyte) of arid environments in southwestern North America and western South America. Al ...

'', ''

Enceliopsis ''Enceliopsis'' is a small genus of flowering plants in the family Asteraceae. They are sometimes called sunrays. They are similar to the daisylike plants in the related genus '' Encelia''. These three shrubs are native to the western United Stat ...

'', ''

Geraea ''Geraea'' is a genus of the family Asteraceae from the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico, commonly called the desert sunflower. ; Species * ''Geraea canescens'' Torr. & A.Gray - California, Arizona, Nevada, Utah * '' Geraea vi ...

'', and ''

Helianthella ''Helianthella'', the little sunflower, is a genus of North American plants in the family Asteraceae. ; Species * '' Helianthella californica'' A.Gray - California, Nevada, Oregon * '' Helianthella castanea'' Greene - San Francisco Bay region * ...

'' – while ''Flourensia'' s.s. is sister to the other genera. It shares radiate capitula, neuter ray florets, and 2-3-seriate phyllaries with ''Encelia'', ''Enceliopsis'', ''Geraea'', and ''Helianthella'', as well as glabrous leaves and solitary to corymbose capitula with the closely related ''Helianthella''. It is distinguished from those genera by a shrubby or subshrubby habit, foliage with resin, yellow

floret This glossary of botanical terms is a list of definitions of terms and concepts relevant to botany and plants in general. Terms of plant morphology are included here as well as at the more specific Glossary of plant morphology and Glossary ...

s, and pappose

achene An achene (; ), also sometimes called akene and occasionally achenium or achenocarp, is a type of simple fruit, simple dry fruits, dry fruit produced by many species of flowering plants. Achenes are monocarpellate (formed from one carpel) and Dehi ...

s without wings.

Species

12 species are accepted. *''

Austroflourensia angustifolia ''Austroflourensia'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Asteraceae. It includes 12 species of shrubs and subshrubs native to South America, ranging from Peru to southern Argentina, typically on arid and semi-arid lands. Most of the spe ...

'' *'' Austroflourensia cajabambensis'' *'' Austroflourensia fiebrigii'' *'' Austroflourensia glutinosa'' *'' Austroflourensia hirtissima'' *'' Austroflourensia macrophylla'' *''

Austroflourensia niederleinii ''Austroflourensia'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Asteraceae. It includes 12 species of shrubs and subshrubs native to South America, ranging from Peru to southern Argentina, typically on arid and semi-arid lands. Most of the spe ...

'' *''

Austroflourensia peruviana ''Austroflourensia'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Asteraceae. It includes 12 species of shrubs and subshrubs native to South America, ranging from Peru to southern Argentina, typically on arid and semi-arid lands. Most of the spe ...

'' *''

Austroflourensia polycephala ''Austroflourensia'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Asteraceae. It includes 12 species of shrubs and subshrubs native to South America, ranging from Peru to southern Argentina, typically on arid and semi-arid lands. Most of the spe ...

'' *'' Austroflourensia suffrutescens'' *''

Austroflourensia thurifera ''Austroflourensia'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Asteraceae. It includes 12 species of shrubs and subshrubs native to South America, ranging from Peru to southern Argentina, typically on arid and semi-arid lands. Most of the spe ...

'' *''

Austroflourensia tortuosa ''Austroflourensia'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Asteraceae. It includes 12 species of shrubs and subshrubs native to South America, ranging from Peru to southern Argentina, typically on arid and semi-arid lands. Most of the spe ...

References

{{Taxonbar, from= Q133780837 Asteraceae genera Flora of Southern America Taxa described in 2023 Heliantheae