''Plagianthus'' 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 ...

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 confined to

New Zealand New Zealand () is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and List of islands of New Zealand, over 600 smaller islands. It is the List of isla ...

and the

Chatham Islands The Chatham Islands ( ; Moriori language, Moriori: , 'Misty Sun'; ) are an archipelago in the Pacific Ocean about east of New Zealand's South Island, administered as part of New Zealand, and consisting of about 10 islands within an approxima ...

. The familial placement of the genus was controversial for many years, but modern genetic studies show it definitely belongs in the

Malvaceae Malvaceae (), or the mallows, is a family of flowering plants estimated to contain 244 genera with 4225 known species. Well-known members of economic importance include Theobroma cacao, cacao, Cola (plant), cola, cotton, okra, Hibiscus sabdariffa, ...

subfamily

Malvoideae Malvoideae is a botanical name at the rank of subfamily, which includes in the minimum the genus ''Malva''. It was first used by Burnett in 1835, but was not much used until recently, where, within the framework of the APG System, which unites th ...

. The name means "slanted flowers".

Description

The type species '' P. divaricatus'' is a

divaricate Divaricate means branching, or having separation or a degree of separation. The angle between branches is wide. In botany In botany, the term is often used to describe the branching pattern of plants. Plants are said to be divaricating when th ...

shrub which grows at the edges of salt marshes. The other species, '' P. regius'' is a tree which in juvenile stage may be

(subsp. ''regius'') or not (subsp. ''chathamica''). These are the only species recognized currently. In the past, species from related genera such as ''

Hoheria ''Hoheria'' is a genus of six species of flowering plants in the family Malvaceae. All are endemic (ecology), endemic to New Zealand. The genus name is a latinization of the Māori language name, ''houhere''. That name, as well as lacebark and ...

'' (New Zealand), '' Asterotrichion'', ''

Lawrencia ''Lawrencia'' is a plant genus in the family Malvaceae. The genus is endemic to Australia. Systematics Species include: *''Lawrencia berthae'' (F.Muell.) Melville - Showy Lawrencia *''Lawrencia buchananensis'' Lander *''Lawrencia chrysoderma ...

'' and ''

Gynatrix ''Gynatrix'' is a genus of dioecious flowering plants in the family Malvaceae, endemic to south-east Australia. There are two species within the genus: *''Gynatrix pulchella'' (Willd.) Alef. – (Hemp bush, Aboriginal hemp), a shrub to 3 m ...

'' (Australia) were sometimes assigned to the genus. Instead, all these genera are now grouped in an informal "''Plagianthus'' alliance".

References

External links

:
Malvaceae website, ''Plagianthus'' page
{{Taxonbar, from=Q9060360 Flora of New Zealand Malvoideae Taxa named by Johann Reinhold Forster Malvaceae genera