Kallstroemia Explained

Kallstroemia is a genus of flowering plants in the caltrop family, Zygophyllaceae. The approximately 17 species^[1] it contains are native to tropical and warm temperate regions of the Americas. The flower and fruit morphology is similar to Tribulus. The convex fruits separate into about 10 nutlets each with one seed. The genus is named after A. Kallstroem who lived in the 18th century.

Selected species

• Kallstroemia californica (S.Watson) Vail  - California caltrop
• Kallstroemia grandiflora Torr. ex A.Gray  - Arizona poppy
• Kallstroemia hirsutissima Vail ex Small  - Hairy caltrop
• Kallstroemia maxima (L.) Hook. & Arn.  - Big caltrop
• Kallstroemia parviflora Norton  - Warty caltrop^[2]
• Kallstroemia perennans B.L. Turner  - Perennial caltrop
• Kallstroemia pubescens (G.Don) Dandy  - Caribbean caltrop

Further reading

• USDA Plants Profile: North American Species
• Kearny, T. H., R. H. Peebles et al. (1960) Arizona Flora. University of California Press, Berkeley, CA.

Notes and References

1. http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_JM_treatment.pl?7869,7873 Jepson Manual Treatment
2. Web site: GRIN Species Records of Kallstroemia . Germplasm Resources Information Network . United States Department of Agriculture . 2010-10-13.