''Monanthes'' 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 n ...
of small,
succulent, subtropical plants of the family
Crassulaceae
The Crassulaceae (from Latin ''crassus'', thick), also known as the stonecrop family or the orpine family, are a diverse family of dicotyledon flowering plants characterized by succulent leaves and a unique form of photosynthesis, known as Cr ...
. The about ten species are mostly
endemic
Endemism is the state of a species being found 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 found els ...
to the
Canary Islands
The Canary Islands (; es, Canarias, ), also known informally as the Canaries, are a Spanish autonomous community and archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean, in Macaronesia. At their closest point to the African mainland, they are west of Mo ...
and
Savage Islands
The Savage Islands or Selvagens Islands ( pt, Ilhas Selvagens ; also known as the Salvage Islands) are a small Portuguese archipelago in the North Atlantic Ocean, south of Madeira, and north of the Canary Islands.30,000), white-faced storm- ...
, with some found on
Madeira
)
, anthem = ( en, "Anthem of the Autonomous Region of Madeira")
, song_type = Regional anthem
, image_map=EU-Portugal_with_Madeira_circled.svg
, map_alt=Location of Madeira
, map_caption=Location of Madeira
, subdivision_type=Sovereign st ...
. Its center of diversity is
Tenerife
Tenerife (; ; formerly spelled ''Teneriffe'') is the largest and most populous island of the Canary Islands. It is home to 43% of the total population of the Archipelago, archipelago. With a land area of and a population of 978,100 inhabitant ...
, with seven species occurring on this island. On
Fuerteventura
Fuerteventura () is one of the Canary Islands, in the Atlantic Ocean, part of the North Africa region, and politically part of Spain. It is located away from the northwestern coast of Africa. The island was declared a biosphere reserve by UNES ...
and
Lanzarote
Lanzarote (, , ) is a Spanish island, the easternmost of the Canary Islands in the Atlantic Ocean. It is located approximately off the north coast of Africa and from the Iberian Peninsula. Covering , Lanzarote is the fourth-largest of the i ...
, 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'' (Brit. , U.S. �sɛ̃mpeɹ'vivũm is a genus of about 40 species of flowering plants in the family Crassulaceae, commonly known as houseleeks. Other common names include liveforever (the source of the taxonomical designation ''Sem ...
'', ''
Greenovia'', ''
Aichryson
''Aichryson'' is a genus of about 15 species of succulent, subtropical plants, mostly native to the Canary Islands, with a few in the Azores, Madeira and Morocco.
The species of ''Aichryson'' are not frost-resistant. They are related to ''Semper ...
'' 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 (agele ...
'', which is obvious from their similar
flower
A flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants (plants of the division Angiospermae). The biological function of a flower is to facilitate reproduction, usually by providing a mechanism ...
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
A perennial plant or simply perennial is a plant that lives more than two years. The term ('' per-'' + '' -ennial'', "through the years") is often used to differentiate a plant from shorter-lived annuals and biennials. The term is also wide ...
.
Taxonomy
Accepted species include:
* ''
Monanthes anagensis
''Monanthes anagensis'' is the largest species in the genus ''Monanthes'', forming little bushes about high. Leaves are laxly spaced, linear-elliptic, quite smooth, and long. When stunted it somewhat resembles '' Monanthes laxiflora'' but diff ...
''
Praeger
* ''
Monanthes atlantica
''Monanthes'' is a genus of small, succulent, subtropical plants of the family Crassulaceae. The about ten species are mostly endemic to the Canary Islands and Savage Islands, with some found on Madeira. Its center of diversity is Tenerife, with ...
''
J.Ball
* ''
Monanthes brachycaulos
''Monanthes'' is a genus of small, succulent, subtropical plants of the family Crassulaceae. The about ten species are mostly endemic to the Canary Islands and Savage Islands, with some found on Madeira. Its center of diversity is Tenerife, with ...
''
(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
The Crassulaceae (from Latin ''crassus'', thick), also known as the stonecrop family or the orpine family, are a diverse family of dicotyledon flower ...
''
(Webb in Christ) Christ
* ''
Monanthes polyphylla''
(Aiton) Haw.
** ''Monanthes polyphylla'' subsp. ''amydros''
Nyffeler
* ''
Monanthes subcrassicaulis
''Monanthes'' is a genus of small, succulent, subtropical plants of the family Crassulaceae. The about ten species are mostly endemic to the Canary Islands and Savage Islands, with some found on Madeira. Its center of diversity is Tenerife, with ...
''
(Kuntze) Praeger
* ''
Monanthes subrosulata''
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. The about ten species are mostly endemic to the Canary Islands and Savage Islands, with some found on Madeira. Its center of diversity is Tenerife, with ...
''
(Bolle) Christ
* ''
Monanthes wildpretii
''Monanthes'' is a genus of small, succulent, subtropical plants of the family Crassulaceae. The about ten species are mostly endemic to the Canary Islands and Savage Islands, with some found on Madeira. Its center of diversity is Tenerife, with ...
''
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