Abronia (plant)

Abronia, the sand-verbenas or wild lantanas, is a genus of about 20 species of annual or perennial herbaceous plants in the family Nyctaginaceae. Despite the common names, they are not related to Verbena (vervains) or lantanas in the family Verbenaceae. They are closely allied with Tripterocalyx.

Abronia
Yellow Sand Verbena (Abronia latifolia)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Order:	Caryophyllales
Family:	Nyctaginaceae
Tribe:	Nyctagineae
Genus:	Abronia Juss.,[1] 1789
Species
See text

Abronia villosa

Abronia ameliae

They are native to western North America, from Alberta and Saskatchewan, Canada, south to west Texas, California, Baja California and central Mexico, growing on dry sandy soils. Abronia macrocarpa, a Texas endemic, is protected under the Endangered Species Act. Abronia ammophila, the Yellowstone sand verbena, is a plant unique to Yellowstone National Park's lakeshores and is endemic to the park. Only a few species are widespread, and many are quite rare. They make very attractive garden plants for hot, dry sandy sites.

Selected species

Abronia alpina Brandeg. Abronia ameliae Lundell Abronia ammophila Greene Abronia angustifolia Greene Abronia argillosa Welsh & Goodrich Abronia bigelovii Heimerl Abronia bolackii N.D.Atwood Abronia carletonii Coult. & Fisher Abronia cycloptera A.Nels. Abronia elliptica A.Nels. Abronia fragrans Nutt. ex Hook. Abronia latifolia Eschsch.

Abronia macrocarpa L.A.Galloway Abronia maritima Nutt. ex S.Watson Abronia mellifera Douglas ex Hook. Abronia nana S.Watson Abronia pogonantha Heimerl Abronia turbinata Torr. ex S.Watson Abronia umbellata Lam. Abronia umbellata acutalata (Standl.) C.L.Hitchc. Abronia umbellata breviflora (Standl.) Munz Abronia villosa S.Watson Abronia villosa var. aurita (Abrams) Jeps.[2][3]

Formerly placed here

• Tripterocalyx carneus (Greene) L.A.Galloway (as A. carnea Greene)
• Tripterocalyx crux-maltae (Kellogg) Standl. (as A. crux-maltae Kellogg)
• Tripterocalyx micranthus (Torr.) Hook. (as A. micrantha Torr.)
• Tripterocalyx wootonii Standl. (as A. wootonii (Standl.) Tidestr.)^[3]

Cultivation and uses

The stout, sweet root of Abronia fragrans and Abronia latifolia, sometimes over 60 cm long, can be eaten as a root vegetable.

Gallery

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  Abronia alpina
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  Abronia ameliae
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  Abronia ammophila
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  Abronia elliptica
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  Abronia fragrans
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  Abronia latifolia
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  Abronia macrocarpa
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  Abronia maritima
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  Abronia mellifera
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  Abronia nana
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  Abronia nealleyi
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  Abronia pogonantha
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  Abronia turbinata
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  Abronia umbellata
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  Abronia villosa