Xiphotheca is a genus of flowering plants in the legume family, Fabaceae. It includes 10 species of shrubs endemic to the Cape Provinces of South Africa. They grow in fynbos (Mediterranean-climate shrubland), generally at medium or low elevations, and often species have highly localised ranges.[3] The genus belongs to the subfamily Faboideae. The name of the genus is a compound of Ancient Greek ξίφος (ksíphos), which means "sword", and θήκη (thēkē) which can mean "box" or "sheath"—a reference to the shape of the legume pods.[1] Members of this genus can be distinguished by:

Xiphotheca
Xiphotheca fruticosa
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Fabales
Family: Fabaceae
Subfamily: Faboideae
Tribe: Podalyrieae
Genus: Xiphotheca
Eckl. & Zeyh. (1836)
Species

See text.

Xiphotheca is endemic to the fynbos of South Africa.[1]
  •   Range of section Congestae
  •   Range of section Xiphotheca
Synonyms[2]
  • Priestleya sect. Aneisothea DC.

"(1) the presence of bracteoles in most species; (2) the fusion of the bracts with the base of the pedicel; (3) the laterally compressed pods; and (4) the accumulation of anabasine as a major alkaloid."[1]

Species

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Xiphotheca comprises the following species:[2][1][4]

Section Congestae

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Section Xiphotheca

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d Schutte AL (1997). "A revision of the genus Xiphotheca (Fabaceae)". Ann Missouri Bot Gard. 84 (1): 90–102. doi:10.2307/2399955. JSTOR 2399955.
  2. ^ a b Schutte AL, Van Wyk B-E (1993). "The Reinstatement of the Genus Xiphotheca (Fabaceae)". Taxon. 41 (1): 43–49. doi:10.2307/1223301. JSTOR 1223301.
  3. ^ [https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:23831-1 Plants of the World Online. Retrieved 23 September 2023.
  4. ^ USDA; ARS; National Genetic Resources Program. "GRIN species records of Xiphotheca". Germplasm Resources Information Network—(GRIN) [Online Database]. National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland. Retrieved 28 February 2014.