Nitrophila

Life-forms

Classification System: APG IV

Superregnum: Eukaryota
Regnum: Plantae
Cladus: Angiosperms
Cladus: Eudicots
Cladus: Core eudicots
Ordo: Caryophyllales

Familia: Amaranthaceae s.l.
Cladus: Amaranthaceae s.str.
Subfamilia: Polycnemoideae
Tribus: Polycnemeae
Genus: Nitrophila

Species: N. atacamensis – N. australis – N. mohavensis - N. occidentalis

Names in synonymy: N. densiflora – N. kuntzei – N. mexicana – N. mucronata
Name

Nitrophila S.Watson, Botany [Fortieth Parallel] 297. (1871)

Type species: Nitrophila occidentalis (Moq.) S.Watson

Synonyms

Banalia sect. Idiopsis Moq., Prodr. [A. P. de Candolle]: 279. (1849)
Type species: Banalia occidentalis Moq.

References
Primary references

Watson, S. 1871. Botany. In: United States Geological Expolration of the Fortieth Parallel. Vol. 5. BHL Reference page. : 297
Moquin-Tandon, A. 1849. Salsolaceae. In: De Candolle, A.P. (ed.): Prodromus systematis naturalis regni vegetabilis 13(2): 41–219. Masson, Paris. BHL Reference page. : 279

Additional references

Masson, R. & Kadereit, G. 2013. Phylogeny of Polycnemoideae (Amaranthaceae): Implications for biogeography, character evolution and taxonomy. Taxon 62 (1): 100–111. DOI: 10.1002/tax.621009 JSTORReference page.
Hernández-Ledesma, P., Berendsohn, W. G., Borsch, T., Mering, S. v., Akhani, H., Arias, S., Castañeda-Noa, I., Eggli, U., Eriksson, R., Flores-Olvera, H., Fuentes-Bazán, S., Kadereit, G., Klak, C., Korotkova, N., Nyffeler R., Ocampo G., Ochoterena, H., Oxelman, B., Rabeler, R. K., Sanchez, A., Schlumpberger, B. O. & Uotila, P. 2015. A taxonomic backbone for the global synthesis of species diversity in the angiosperm order Caryophyllales. Willdenowia 45(3): 281–383. DOI: 10.3372/wi.45.45301 Open access Reference page.

Links

Hassler, M. 2019. Nitrophila. 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 on the internet. Accessed: 2019 Nov. 19. Reference page.
International Plant Names Index. 2019. Nitrophila. Published online. Accessed: Nov. 19 2019.
Govaerts, R. et al. 2019. Nitrophila in Kew Science Plants of the World online. The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published on the internet. Accessed: 2019 Nov. 19. Reference page.
Tropicos.org 2019. Nitrophila. Missouri Botanical Garden. Published on the internet. Accessed: 2019 Nov. 19.
Global Biodiversity Information Facility. 2019. GBIF Backbone Taxonomy. Checklist dataset. Taxon: Nitrophila. .

Vernacular names
English: Niterworts

Nitrophila is a small genus of flowering plants in the amaranth family sometimes known by the common name niterworts. The genus name is Greek for "soda-loving", as the plant grows in alkaline or salty soils, such as those rich in borax. These are rhizomatous perennials with fleshy foliage that helps them conserve water in environments high in mineral salts. The compact, papery flowers grow in the axils of the plant where the leaves join the branches. The fruit is a utricle which contains shiny black seeds. Nitrophila species are found in temperate regions of the Americas.

Selected species:

Nitrophila mohavensis - Amargosa niterwort
Nitrophila occidentalis - boraxweed