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wrightwort
Scientific Name: Carlowrightia
Family: Acanthaceae
Category: Dicot
Growth:
Duration:
Other Names:
Carlowrightia: The Wrightwort Genus
Carlowrightia is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the Acanthaceae family, also known as the bear's breeches family. Plants in this genus are commonly called wrightworts.
General Information
- Symbol: CARLO
Taxonomy and Nomenclature
- Kingdom: Plantae
- Phylum: Magnoliophyta
- Class: Magnoliopsida
- Subclass: Asteridae
- Order: Scrophulariales
- Family: Acanthaceae
- Genus: Carlowrightia A. Gray
Distribution and Habitat
- Carlowrightia species are native to Arizona and other regions (specific details may vary by species).
- Habitats include bajadas, washes, mesquite woodlands, limestone flats and hills, calcareous alluvium, rocky slopes, and along arroyos and roadsides.
- They typically grow in gravelly, sandy, or loamy soils.
Morphological Characteristics and Growth Habits
- Wrightworts are often small shrubs.
- They bear inflorescences of lily-like flowers.
- Some species, like Texas Wrightwort, are subshrubs.
- Some species, like Torrey's Wrightwort, are forb/herbs (non-woody plants that are not grasses).
- Leaf arrangement is generally opposite and simple.
- Flower color can be white or whitish.
- Evergreen during spring, with yellow coloring.
- Adult specimens can reach up to 1.3 meters in height, with an erect development.
Interactions with Other Organisms
- The Crimson Patch butterfly (Chlosyne janais) has been observed ovipositing on smallflower wrightwort (Carlowrightia parviflora).
- Arizona Wrightwort can serve as a butterfly larval source.
Species Examples
- Carlowrightia arizonica A. Gray - Arizona Wrightwort, Arizona Carlowrightia, Lemilla, Rama Toro (Spanish)
- Carlowrightia linearifolia (Torr.) A. Gray - Heath Wrightwort
- Carlowrightia mexicana Henrickson & Daniel - Mexican Wrightwort
- Carlowrightia parviflora (Buckley) Wassh. - Smallflower Wrightwort (Synonym: Dianthera parviflora)
- Carlowrightia serpyllifolia A. Gray - Trans-Pecos Wrightwort
- Carlowrightia texana Henrickson & T.F. Daniel - Texas Wrightwort
- Carlowrightia torreyana - Torrey's Wrightwort
- Carlowrightia neesiana - Viscid Wrightwort
Resources and Further Information
- Dave's Garden provides a community for sharing gardening tips and ideas.
- Discover Life offers information about the biology, natural history, ecology, identification, and distribution of Carlowrightia mexicana.
- Encyclopedia of Life provides information on Carlowrightia arizonica.
- Plant databases are available for Torrey's wrightwort and other natives within the Acanthaceae family.