''Othonna'' 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 approximately 90 species of succulent or subsucculent perennial herbs or shrubs, with its center of diversity in the Greater Cape Floristic Region (GCFR) of

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. Its Provinces of South Africa, nine provinces are bounded to the south by of coastline that stretches along the Atlantic O ...

but some species' ranges include southern

Namibia Namibia, officially the Republic of Namibia, is a country on the west coast of Southern Africa. Its borders include the Atlantic Ocean to the west, Angola and Zambia to the north, Botswana to the east and South Africa to the south; in the no ...

Angola Angola, officially the Republic of Angola, is a country on the west-Central Africa, central coast of Southern Africa. It is the second-largest Portuguese-speaking world, Portuguese-speaking (Lusophone) country in both total area and List of c ...

, and

Zimbabwe file:Zimbabwe, relief map.jpg, upright=1.22, Zimbabwe, relief map Zimbabwe, officially the Republic of Zimbabwe, is a landlocked country in Southeast Africa, between the Zambezi and Limpopo Rivers, bordered by South Africa to the south, Bots ...

. The genus was established by Linnaeus in 1753 containing 14 species, however, of those original species, only four are still retained in ''Othonna'', while the others have been transferred to different genera including ''

Cineraria ''Cineraria'' is a genus of flowering plants in the sunflower family, native primarily to southern Africa with a few species further north. The genus includes herbaceous plants and small subshrubs. In the past, the genus was commonly viewed in ...

'', ''

Euryops ''Euryops'' is a genus of flowering plants in the Asteraceae, sunflower family. They are native plant, native mostly to rocky sites in southern Africa, with a few species in other parts of Africa and on the Arabian Peninsula. They produce daisy ...

'', '' Hertia'', ''

Ligularia ''Ligularia'' (leopard plant) is a genus of Old World herbaceous perennial plants in the groundsel tribe within the sunflower family. They have yellow or orange composite flower heads with brown or yellow central disc florets, and are native ...

'', ''

Senecio ''Senecio'' is a genus of flowering plants in the daisy family (Asteraceae) that includes ragworts and groundsels. Variously circumscribed taxonomically, the genus ''Senecio'' is one of the largest genera of flowering plants. Description Mo ...

'', and ''

Tephroseris ''Tephroseris'' is a genus of Eurasian and North American plants in the groundsel tribe within the daisy family.Lauber, K. and G. Wagner. ''Flora Helvetica'', 4th ed. The following species are recognised in the genus ''Tephroseris'': *'' ...

''. The genus Othonnna is known to be monophyletic. In 2012, a new genus '' Crassothonna'' B. Nord. was erected with 13 species transferred from ''Othonna''. A complete modern taxonomic treatment of the genus is being undertaken by the Compton Herbarium and the

South African National Biodiversity Institute The South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI) is an organisation tasked with research and dissemination of information on biodiversity, and legally mandated to contribute to the management of the country's biodiversity resources. ...

. The first part, a revision of the ''Othonnna bulbosa'' group (those species that are

geophytic A storage organ is a part of a plant specifically modified for storage of energy (generally in the form of carbohydrates) or water. Storage organs often grow underground, where they are better protected from attack by herbivores. Plants that have ...

with an aerial stem), was published in 2019. The name ''Othonna'' is derived from the Ancient Greek ὄθοννα and the Latin othone, which is a linen cloth or napkin, in allusion to the downy covering of some of the earlier known species. Several species in the ''Othonna'' and ''Crassothonna'' are commonly called bobbejaankool in

Afrikaans Afrikaans is a West Germanic languages, West Germanic language spoken in South Africa, Namibia and to a lesser extent Botswana, Zambia, Zimbabwe and also Argentina where there is a group in Sarmiento, Chubut, Sarmiento that speaks the Pat ...

which translates to baboon cress or baboon cabbages. Species in the ''Othonna bulbosa'' group ; Species

References

External links

* * {{Taxonbar, from=Q5230439 Asteraceae genera Flora of Southern Africa