Galphimia

Taxobox

---

image_width = 240px
image_caption = "Galphimia gracilis"
regnum = Plantae
divisio = Magnoliophyta
classis = Magnoliopsida
ordo = Malpighiales
familia = Malpighiaceae
genus = "Galphimia"
genus_authority = Cav.
subdivision_ranks = Species
subdivision = 26 species; see text

"Galphimia" is a genus in the Malpighiaceae, a family of about 75 genera of flowering plants in the order Malpighiales. "Galphimia" comprises 26 species of large herbs, shrubs, and treelets. Twenty-two species occur in Mexico, one ("G. angustifolia") extending into Texas and one ("G. speciosa") ranging to Nicaragua; four species ("G. amambayensis", "G. australis", "G. brasiliensis", "G. platyphylla") occur in South America, south of the Amazon Basin. "Galphimia gracilis" is widely cultivated in warm regions throughout the world (but often confused with "G. glauca" and also "G. brasiliensis"). Eight species (of Mexico and Central America) are distinctive in that the petals become stiff and papery, and persist past the stage of fruit maturation.

"Galphimia" is sometimes confused with "Thryallis", a different genus of Malpighiaceae that occurs in Brazil and adjacent Paraguay and Bolivia. At one time some species now assigned to "Galphimia" were referred to "Thryallis", but the generic name "Thryallis" is now a conserved name according to the rules of the International Code of Botanical Nomenclature. The genus "Thryallis" is distinctive in the stellate hairs and scales found on the vegetative parts, and in that the limb of the petals is much wider than long, traits not found in "Galphimia".

;Species

External links and references

* [http://herbarium.lsa.umich.edu/malpigh Malpighiaceae] Malpighiaceae - description, taxonomy, phylogeny, and nomenclature
* [http://herbarium.lsa.umich.edu/malpigh/GalClade/Galphimia/Gal1.html Galphimia]
*Anderson, C. 2007. Revision of "Galphimia" (Malpighiaceae). Contributions from the University of Michigan Herbarium 25: 1–82.
*Anderson, C. 1995. Revision of "Thryallis" (Malpighiaceae). Contributions from the University of Michigan Herbarium 20: 3–14.