Avicennia

Taxobox
color = lightgreen
name = "Avicennia"
status =

secure

---

image_width = 240px
image_caption = "Avicennia germinans"
regnum = Plantae
divisio = Magnoliophyta
classis = Magnoliopsida
ordo = Lamiales
familia = Acanthaceae
genus = "Avicennia"
genus_authority = L.
subdivision_ranks = Species
subdivision = See text

"Avicennia" is a genus of mangrove tree. As with other mangroves, it occurs in the intertidal zones of estuarine areas, and has the characteristic aerial roots of mangroves. Species of "Avicennia" occur worldwide south of the Tropic of Cancer.

The taxonomic placement of "Avicennia" is contentious. In some classifications it has been placed in the family Verbenaceae, but more recently has been placed by some botanists in the monogeneric family Avicenniaceae. Recent phylogenetic studies have suggested that "Avicennia" is derived from within Acanthaceae, and the genus is included in that family in the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group system.

Designation of species is made difficult by the great variations in form of "Avicennia marina". Between eight and ten species are usually recognised, with "Avicennia marina" further divided into a number of subspecies.

The name "Avicennia" is named in honour of the Persian physician Avicenna.

;Species
*"Avicennia alba"
*"Avicennia bicolor"
*"Avicennia eucalyptifolia"
*"Avicennia germinans"
*"Avicennia integra"
*"Avicennia marina"
*"Avicennia nitida"
*"Avicennia officinalis"
*"Avicennia rumphiana"
*"Avicennia schaueriana"

References

*.
*
* Schwarzbach, Andrea E. and McDade, Lucinda A. 2002. Phylogenetic Relationships of the Mangrove Family Avicenniaceae Based on Chloroplast and Nuclear Ribosomal DNA Sequences. "Systematic Botany" 27: 84-98 (abstract [http://www.bioone.org/bioone/?request=get-document&issn=0363-6445&volume=027&issue=01&page=0084 here] ).