Abronia (plant)
Abronia, the sand-verbenas or wild lantanas, is a genus of about 20 species of annual or perennial herbaceous plants in the family Nyctaginaceae. Despite the common names, they are not related to Verbena or lantanas in the family Verbenaceae. They are closely allied with Tripterocalyx.
They are native to western North America, from Alberta and Saskatchewan, Canada, south to west Texas, California, Baja California and central Mexico, growing on dry sandy soils. Abronia macrocarpa, a Texas endemic, is protected under the Endangered Species Act. Abronia ammophila, the Yellowstone sand verbena, is a plant unique to Yellowstone National Park's lakeshores and is endemic to the park. Only a few species are widespread, and many are quite rare. They make very attractive garden plants for hot, dry sandy sites.
Selected species
- Abronia alpina Brandeg.
- Abronia ameliae Lundell
- Abronia ammophila Greene
- Abronia angustifolia Greene
- Abronia argillosa Welsh & Goodrich
- Abronia bigelovii Heimerl
- Abronia bolackii N.D.Atwood
- Abronia carletonii Coult. & Fisher
- Abronia cycloptera A.Nels.
- Abronia elliptica A.Nels.
- Abronia fragrans Nutt. ex Hook.
- Abronia latifolia Eschsch.
- Abronia macrocarpa L.A.Galloway
- Abronia maritima Nutt. ex S.Watson
- Abronia mellifera Douglas ex Hook.
- Abronia nana S.Watson
- Abronia pogonantha Heimerl
- Abronia turbinata Torr. ex S.Watson
- Abronia umbellata Lam.
- *Abronia umbellata acutalata C.L.Hitchc.
- *Abronia umbellata breviflora Munz
- Abronia villosa S.Watson
- *Abronia villosa var. aurita Jeps.
Formerly placed here
- Tripterocalyx carneus L.A.Galloway
- Tripterocalyx crux-maltae Standl.
- Tripterocalyx micranthus Hook.
- Tripterocalyx wootonii Standl.
Cultivation and uses