Monanthes

Monanthes
Monanthes pallens
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Eudicots
(unranked):	Core eudicots
Order:	Saxifragales
Family:	Crassulaceae
Genus:	Monanthes

Monanthes is a genus of small, succulent, subtropical plants of the Crassulaceae family. The about ten species are mostly endemic to the Canary Islands and Salvage Islands, with some found on Madeira. Its center of diversity is Tenerife, with seven species occurring on this island. On Fuerteventura and Lanzarote, only M. laxiflora occurs.

Monanthes are not frost-resistant. They are linked with the genera Sempervivum, Greenovia, Aichryson and Aeonium, which is obvious from their similar flowers.

Species of Monanthes differ considerably in life- and growth-form. M. icterica, which is also genetically quite distant to other Monanthes species, is annual, while the other species are perennial.

Monanthes is a rare example where a species re-colonizes the continent from an island, after their ancestors have colonized the island from the continent.^{[citation needed]}

Species

• Monanthes anagensis
• Monanthes brachycaulos
• Monanthes icterica
• Monanthes laxiflora
• Monanthes lowei
• Monanthes minima
• Monanthes muralis
• Monanthes pallens
• Monanthes polyphylla
  • Monanthes polyphylla amydros
  • Monanthes polyphylla polyphylla

Name

Monanthes is Greek for "single flower".

References

• Mes, T.H.M., Wijers, G.J. & Hart, H. (1997). Phylogenetic relationships in Monanthes (Crassulaceae) based on morphological, chloroplast and nuclear DNA variation. J. Evol. Biol. 10(2):193-216.