Kewa (plant)
| Kewa | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Eudicots |
| (unranked): | Core eudicots |
| Order: | Caryophyllales |
| Family: | Kewaceae Christenh. |
| Genus: | Kewa Christenh. |
| Species | |
| |
Kewa is a genus of flowering plants, consisting of eight species[1] of succulent sub-woody plants, native to Saint Helena, South Africa, and Madagascar. These are small shrubs or herbs that form cushions and have edible, acid-tasting leaves.
The species were formerly included in the genus Hypertelis of the family Molluginaceae, but molecular studies have shown that most species did not belong there, but were rather distantly related to a clade comprising Aizoaceae, Gisekiaceae and Barbeuiaceae. Only the type species Hypertelis spergulacea remains in Molluginaceae, all others are transferred to the genus Kewa, which was named for Kew, a village in Richmond, Surrey, U.K., where the internationally acclaimed Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew are situated.[2]
Cultivation
Plants are perennial but relatively short lived. They can easily be propagated from seed and make attractive cushion-like shrubs with leathery leaves and many starry white flowers.
References
- ↑ Christenhusz, M. J. M., and Byng, J. W. (2016). "The number of known plants species in the world and its annual increase". Phytotaxa. Magnolia Press. 261 (3): 201–217. doi:10.11646/phytotaxa.261.3.1.
- ↑ Christenhusz, M. J. M., Brockington, S. F., Christin, P.-A. and Sage, R. F. (2014). "On the disintegration of Molluginaceae: a new genus (Kewa, Kewaceae) segregated from Hypertelis, and placement of Macarthuria in Macarthuriaceae". Phytotaxa. Magnolia Press. 181: 238–242. doi:10.11646/phytotaxa.181.4.4.