''Castela'' is a genus of thorny shrubs and small trees in the family
Simaroubaceae
The Simaroubaceae, also known as the quassia family, are a small, mostly tropical, family in the order Sapindales. In recent decades, it has been subject to much taxonomic debate, with several small families being split off. A molecular phyloge ...
. Members of the genus are native to the
Americas
The Americas, sometimes collectively called America, are a landmass comprising the totality of North America and South America.''Webster's New World College Dictionary'', 2010 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio. When viewed as a sing ...
, especially the tropical regions. The generic name honours the French naturalist
René Richard Louis Castel. ''Castela'' is
dioecious
Dioecy ( ; ; adj. dioecious, ) is a characteristic of certain species that have distinct unisexual individuals, each producing either male or female gametes, either directly (in animals) or indirectly (in seed plants). Dioecious reproduction is ...
, with male and female flowers on separate plants.
Species
There are 17 accepted species:
["''Castela'' Turpin". ''Plants of the World Online'', Kew Science. Accessed 6 October 2021.]
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Castela calcicola''
(Britton & Small) Ekman ex Urb.
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Castela coccinea''
Griseb.
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Castela depressa''
Turpin
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Castela emoryi''
(A.Gray) Moran & Felger – Crucifixion thorn
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Castela erecta''
Turp. – Goatbush
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Castela galapageia'' – Bitterbush
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Castela jacquiniifolia''
(Small) Ekman ex Urb.
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Castela leonis''
Acuña & Roíg
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Castela macrophylla''
Urb.
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Castela peninsularis''
Rose
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Castela polyandra''
Moran & Felger
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Castela retusa''
Liebm.
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Castela spinosa''
Cronquist
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Castela stewartii''
(C.H.Müll.) Moran & Felger
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Castela tortuosa''
Liebm.
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Castela tweediei''
Planch.
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Castela victorinii''
Acuña & Roíg
References
External links
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Jepson Manual Treatment
Simaroubaceae
Sapindales genera
Dioecious plants
{{Sapindales-stub