Berzelia

Life-forms

Classification System: APG IV

Superregnum: Eukaryota
Regnum: Plantae
Cladus: Angiosperms
Cladus: Eudicots
Cladus: Core eudicots
Cladus: Asterids
Cladus: Campanulids
Ordo: Bruniales

Familia: Bruniaceae
Tribus: Brunieae
Genus: Berzelia
Species: B. abrotanoides – B. albiflora – B. alopecuroides – B. arachnoidea – B. burchellii – B. commutata – B. cordifolia – B. dregeana – B. ecklonii – B. galpinii – B. incurva – B. intermedia – B. lanuginosa – B. rubra – B. squarrosa – B. stokoei
Name

Berzelia Brongn. Ann. Sci. Nat. (Paris) 8: 370, t. 35. (1826)

Type species: Berzelia lanuginosa Brongn.

Homonyms

Berzelia Mart., Beitr. Amarantac. 84. (1825) (Preprint from Nova Acta Phys.-Med. Acad. Caes. Leop.-Carol. Nat. Cur. 13: 292. 1826) vide Hermbstaedtia Rchb., Consp. Regn. Veg. [H.G.L.Reichenbach] 164. (1828) (Amaranthaceae)

References

Brongniart, A.T., 1826. Ann. Sci. Nat. (Paris) 8: 370, t. 35.
Classen-Bockhoff, R., Oliver, E.G.H., Hall, A.V. & Quint, M. 2011. A new classification of the South African endemic family Bruniaceae based on molecular and morphological data. Taxon 60(4): 1138–1155. DOI: 10.1002/tax.604016 JSTOR Reference page.
Hassler, M. 2019. Berzelia. World Plants: Synonymic Checklists of the Vascular Plants of the World In: Roskovh, Y., Abucay, L., Orrell, T., Nicolson, D., Bailly, N., Kirk, P., Bourgoin, T., DeWalt, R.E., Decock, W., De Wever, A., Nieukerken, E. van, Zarucchi, J. & Penev, L., eds. 2019. Species 2000 & ITIS Catalogue of Life. Published online. Accessed: 2019 Feb. 9. Reference page.
International Plant Names Index. 2014. Berzelia. Published online. Accessed: Feb. 9 2014.
USDA, ARS, Germplasm Resources Information Network. Berzelia in the Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN), U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service. Accessed: 09-Oct-10.

Vernacular names

Berzelia is a genus consisting of 12 species of upright, wiry-stemmed, evergreen shrubs with a dense covering of small, fine, needle-like leaves. The flowers which appear in spring and summer, are minute but are packed in spherical clusters, of which there are several per head of bloom. The flowers are white to cream and, because the stamens extend beyond the tiny petals, the flowerheads appear to be studded with protrusions.

In cultivation, they are best grown in light well-drained soil with adequate moisture, positioning in full sun. Light trimming will retain the compact form after flowering. Most species are easily propagated from seed or small half-hardened tip cuttings.
Species

Berzelia abrotanoides
Berzelia arachnoidea
Berzelia bruniaceae
Berzelia burchellii
Berzelia commutata
Berzelia comosa
Berzelia cordifolia
Berzelia dregeana
Berzelia ecklonii
Berzelia galpinii
Berzelia incurva
Berzelia intermedia
Berzelia lanuginosa
Berzelia rubra
Berzelia squarrosa
References

Lord, Tony (2003) Flora : The Gardener's Bible : More than 20,000 garden plants from around the world. London: Cassell. ISBN 0-304-36435-5
Botanica Sistematica