''Monanthes'' is a

genus Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...

of small,

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 ...

, subtropical plants of the family

Crassulaceae The Crassulaceae (, from Latin ''crassus'', thick), also known as the crassulas, the stonecrops or the orpine family, are a diverse Family (biology), family of dicotyledon angiosperms primarily characterized by succulent leaves and a form of phot ...

. Most species in the genus are

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found only in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also foun ...

to the

Canary Islands The Canary Islands (; ) or Canaries are an archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean and the southernmost Autonomous communities of Spain, Autonomous Community of Spain. They are located in the northwest of Africa, with the closest point to the cont ...

, with one species also endemic to the

Savage Islands The Savage Islands or Selvagens Islands ( ; also known as the Salvage Islands) are a small Portugal, Portuguese archipelago in the North Atlantic Ocean, south of Madeira and north of the Canary Islands.30,000), white-faced storm-petrel (>80,0 ...

and another to the

High Atlas The High Atlas, also called the Grand Atlas, is a mountain range in central Morocco, North Africa, the highest part of the Atlas Mountains. The High Atlas rises in the west at the Atlantic Ocean and stretches in an eastern direction to the Moro ...

mountains of Morocco. Its center of diversity is

Tenerife Tenerife ( ; ; formerly spelled ''Teneriffe'') is the largest and most populous island of the Canary Islands, an Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Spain. With a land area of and a population of 965,575 inhabitants as of A ...

, with seven species occurring on this island. On

Fuerteventura Fuerteventura () is one of the Canary Islands, in the Atlantic Ocean, geographically part of Macaronesia, and politically part of Spain. It is located away from the coast of North Africa. The island was declared a biosphere reserve by UNESCO i ...

and

Lanzarote Lanzarote (, , ) is a Spanish island, the easternmost of the Canary Islands, off the north coast of Africa and from the Iberian Peninsula. Covering , Lanzarote is the fourth-largest of the islands in the archipelago. With 163,230 inhabi ...

, only ''M. laxiflora'' occurs. ''Monanthes'' is a rare example where a species re-colonizes the continent from an island, after their ancestors have colonized the island from the continent. ''Monanthes'' are not frost-resistant. They are linked with the genera ''

Sempervivum ''Sempervivum'' () is a genus of about 40 species of flowering plants in the family (biology), family Crassulaceae, commonly known as houseleeks. Other common names include liveforever (the source of the taxonomical designation ''Sempervivum'', l ...

'', '' Greenovia'', ''

Aichryson ''Aichryson'' is a genus of 16 species of succulent, subtropical plants, native to the Canary Islands, Azores, and Madeira. The species of ''Aichryson'' are not frost-resistant. They are related to ''Sempervivum, Jovibarba, Greenovia, Aeonium' ...

'' and ''

Aeonium ''Aeonium'', the tree houseleeks, is a genus of about 35 species of succulent, subtropical plants of the family Crassulaceae. Many species are popular in horticulture. The genus name comes from the ancient Greek αἰώνιος / aiōnios (ageles ...

'', which is obvious from their similar

flower Flowers, also known as blooms and blossoms, are the reproductive structures of flowering plants ( angiosperms). Typically, they are structured in four circular levels, called whorls, around the end of a stalk. These whorls include: calyx, m ...

s. Species of ''Monanthes'' differ considerably in life- and growth-form. ''M. icterica'', which is also genetically quite distant to other ''Monanthes'' species, is annual, while the other species are

perennial In horticulture, the term perennial ('' per-'' + '' -ennial'', "through the year") is used to differentiate a plant from shorter-lived annuals and biennials. It has thus been defined as a plant that lives more than 2 years. The term is also ...

Taxonomy

Accepted species include: * '' Monanthes anagensis'' Praeger * ''

Monanthes atlantica ''Monanthes'' is a genus of small, succulent, subtropical plants of the family Crassulaceae. Most species in the genus are endemic to the Canary Islands, with one species also endemic to the Savage Islands and another to the High Atlas mountains ...

'' J.Ball * '' Monanthes brachycaulos'' (Webb & Bertholt) R.Lowe * '' Monanthes icterica'' (Webb ex Bolle) Christ * '' Monanthes laxiflora'' (DC.) Bolle ex Bornmuller * '' Monanthes lowei'' (Paiva) Perez & Acebes * '' Monanthes minima'' (Bolle) Christ * '' Monanthes muralis'' Hook.f. * ''

Monanthes pallens ''Monanthes'' is a genus of small, succulent, subtropical plants of the family Crassulaceae. Most species in the genus are endemic (ecology), endemic to the Canary Islands, with one species also endemic to the Savage Islands and another to the Hi ...

'' (Webb in Christ) Christ * ''

Monanthes polyphylla ''Monanthes'' is a genus of small, succulent, subtropical plants of the family Crassulaceae. Most species in the genus are endemic to the Canary Islands, with one species also endemic to the Savage Islands and another to the High Atlas mountains ...

'' (Aiton) Haw. ** ''Monanthes polyphylla'' subsp. ''amydros'' Nyffeler * ''

Monanthes subcrassicaulis ''Monanthes'' is a genus of small, succulent, subtropical plants of the family Crassulaceae. Most species in the genus are endemic to the Canary Islands, with one species also endemic to the Savage Islands and another to the High Atlas mountains ...

'' (Kuntze) Praeger * ''

Monanthes subrosulata ''Monanthes'' is a genus of small, succulent, subtropical plants of the family Crassulaceae. Most species in the genus are endemic to the Canary Islands, with one species also endemic to the Savage Islands and another to the High Atlas mountains ...

'' Bañares & A. Acev.-Rodr.Bañares Baudet Á., Acevedo Rodríguez A. & Rebolé Beaumont Á.: Monanthes subrosulata, a new species of M. sect. Sedoidea (Crassulaceae) from La Palma, Canary Islands, Spain. — Willdenowia 43: 25–31. June 2013. * ''

Monanthes tilophila ''Monanthes'' is a genus of small, succulent, subtropical plants of the family Crassulaceae. Most species in the genus are endemic to the Canary Islands, with one species also endemic to the Savage Islands and another to the High Atlas mountains ...

'' (Bolle) Christ * ''

Monanthes wildpretii ''Monanthes'' is a genus of small, succulent, subtropical plants of the family Crassulaceae. Most species in the genus are endemic to the Canary Islands, with one species also endemic to the Savage Islands and another to the High Atlas mountains ...

'' Bañares & S.Scholz

Etymology

''Monanthes'' is Greek for "single flower".

References

Bibliography

* Mes, T. H. M., Wijers, G. J. & Hart, H. (1997). :Phylogenetic relationships in ''Monanthes'' (Crassulaceae) based on morphological, chloroplast and nuclear DNA variation". ''Journal of Evolutionary Biology'' 10(2):193–216.

External links

{{Taxonbar, from=Q140427 Flora of Madeira Flora of the Canary Islands Crassulaceae genera