''Rutheopsis'' is a

monotypic In biology, a monotypic taxon is a taxonomic group (taxon) that contains only one immediately subordinate taxon. A monotypic species is one that does not include subspecies or smaller, infraspecific taxa. In the case of genera, the term "unispec ...

genus of

flowering plant Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (), commonly called angiosperms. The term "angiosperm" is derived from the Greek words ('container, vessel') and ('seed'), and refers to those plants th ...

s belonging to the family Apiaceae. It only contains one known species, ''Rutheopsis herbanica'' (Bolle) A.Hansen & G.Kunkel It is native 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 Morocc ...

. The genus name of ''Rutheopsis'' is in honour of

Johann Friedrich Ruthe Johann Friedrich Ruthe Ruthé or von Ruthe (16 April 1788 in Eggenstädt, near Hildesheim – 24 August 1859 in Berlin) was a German teacher (Oberlehrer), botanist and entomologist. In the field of entomology he specialised in Hymenoptera and Dipte ...

(1788–1859), a German teacher (Oberlehrer), botanist and

entomologist Entomology () is the scientific study of insects, a branch of zoology. In the past the term "insect" was less specific, and historically the definition of entomology would also include the study of animals in other arthropod groups, such as arach ...

. The genus has 2 known synonyms; 'Gliopsis'' and ''Ruthea'' . The Latin

specific epithet In taxonomy, binomial nomenclature ("two-term naming system"), also called nomenclature ("two-name naming system") or binary nomenclature, is a formal system of naming species of living things by giving each a name composed of two parts, bot ...

of ''herbanica'' refers to being

herbaceous Herbaceous plants are vascular plants that have no persistent woody stems above ground. This broad category of plants includes many perennials, and nearly all annuals and biennials. Definitions of "herb" and "herbaceous" The fourth edition of t ...

. It was first described and published in Cuad. Bot. Canaria Vol.26-27 on page 61 in 1976. It has been found that a dispersal from north-western Africa to the Canary Islands was retrieved for the common ancestor of ''Rutheopsis'' and '' Canaria'' , another monotypic Canary Island Apiaceae species. Both plants species are endemic to the Canary Islands and are glabrous perennials with yellow flowers and glabrous, ovoid to oblong fruits with thickened ribs. ''Rutheopsis herbanica'' is only found in

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 ...

and

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 ...

. Where as ''Canaria tortuosa'' inhabits El Hierro, La Palma, La Gomera,

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. With a land area of and a population of 978,100 inhabitants as of Janu ...

and Gran Canaria. They do differ somewhat in leaf division and the shape of the leaf lobes but generally they are morphologically similar. It has been suggested that ''Canaria tortuosa'' be renamed as ''Rutheopsis tortuosa'' .

References

{{Taxonbar, from1=Q10365431, from2=Q17136402 Apiaceae Apiaceae genera Plants described in 1976 Flora of the Canary Islands