Colletia Explained

Colletia is a genus of flowering plants in the family Rhamnaceae, with five species of spiny shrubs. All species of this genus are native to southern South America. They are non-legume nitrogen fixers.

Taxonomy

Species

Colletia comprises the following species:^{[1] [2]}

• Colletia hystrix Clos - pink crucifixion thorn

• Colletia paradoxa (Spreng.) Escal. - crucifixion thorn, thorn of the cross, anchor plant

• Colletia spartioides Bertero ex Colla

• Colletia spinosissima J.F.Gmel.

• Colletia ulicina Gillies & Hook.

Species names with uncertain taxonomic status

The status of the following species and hybrids is unresolved:^[1]

• Colletia crenata Regel (unplaced)
• Colletia cruzerillo Bertero (unplaced)
• Colletia disperma Moc. & Sessé ex DC. (unplaced)
• Colletia horrida Brongn. ex Drap. (unplaced)
• Colletia velutina Spreng. (unplaced)

Formerly placed here

• Celtis iguanaea (as Colletia iguanaea Scop.)
• Discaria americana (as Colletia longispina and C. longissima Steud.)
• Retanilla stricta (as Colletia tetrandra Clos)
• Retanilla trinervia (as Colletia treba Bertero ex Colla)
• Rhamnus diffusa (as Colletia maytenoides Griseb.)
• Scutia spicata (as Colletia spicata Humb. & Bonpl. ex Schult.)
• Trevoa campanulata (as Colletia campanulata Phil.)
• Trevoa quinquenervia (as Colletia tralhuen Bertero ex Colla)

References

• Book: Pink, A. . Gardening for the Million. 2004 . Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation.

External links

• • Strange Wonderful Things: Colletia paradoxa

Notes and References

1. Web site: The Plant List entry for Colletia . September 2013 . The Plant List, v.1.1 . . 14 December 2020.
2. Web site: Colletia Comm. ex Juss. . Govaerts R . Plants of the World Online . Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew . 15 December 2020.