| Cistanthe | |
|---|---|
) | |
| Cistanthe umbellata at Mount Rainier National Park | |
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| Cistanthe sp. at Yosemite National Park | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Order: | Caryophyllales |
| Family: | Montiaceae |
| Genus: | Cistanthe Spach |
| Species | |
| 45-50 - See text. | |
Cistanthe is a plant genus which includes most plants known as pussypaws. These are small, succulent flowering plants which often bear brightly colored flowers, though they vary quite a bit between species in appearance. Some species have flowers that are tightly packed into fluffy-looking inflorescences, the trait that gives them their common name. Many are adapted to arid environments, with some able to withstand climates that almost completely lack rainfall. Cistanthe was a genus created to segregate several species previously classified in Calandrinia. Several species from other closely related genera have been moved into Cistanthe as well.
Selected species:
- Cistanthe amaranthoides
- Cistanthe ambigua - desert pussypaws
- Cistanthe arancioana
- Cistanthe calycina
- Cistanthe celosioides
- Cistanthe cephalophora
- Cistanthe cymosa
- Cistanthe grandiflora
- Cistanthe guadalupensis
- Cistanthe maritima - seaside pussypaws
- Cistanthe monandra - common pussypaws, sandcress
- Cistanthe monosperma - one-seeded pussypaws
- Cistanthe parryi - Parry's pussypaws
- Cistanthe pulchella - Mariposa pussypaws
- Cistanthe pygmaea - pygmy pussypaws
- Cistanthe quadripetala - fourpetal pussypaws
- Cistanthe rosea - rosy pussypaws
- Cistanthe salsoloides
- Cistanthe umbellata - Mount Hood pussypaws
References
Further reading
- Hershkovitz, M. A. (1991). Phylogenetic assessment and revised circumscription of Cistanthe Spach (Portulacaceae). Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden 78(4) 1009-21