Condalia

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Condalia
Unripe fruit of Condalia microphylla in detail
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae Division: Magnoliophyta Class: Magnoliopsida Order: Rosales Family: Rhamnaceae Subfamily: Rhamneae Genus: Condalia Cav.
Species
Condalia buxifolia Condalia correllii Correll's snakewood Condalia ericoides Javelin bush Condalia globosa Bitter snakewood Condalia hookeri Brazilian bluewood Condalia lycioides Gray thorn Condalia mexicana Mexican bluewood Condalia microphylla Piquillin Condalia spathulata Knifeleaf condalia Condalia velutina Condalia viridis Green snakewood Condalia warnockii Warnock snakewood Condalia weberbaeuri Yana yana

Condalia is a genus of spiny shrubs native to arid areas of either North or South America comprised within the Rhamneae tribe of the Rhamnaceae family. Distribution patterns are quite variable. Some species are confined to geographical points of few square miles, while others sprout vast, hundred to thousand square mile areas. Condalia species are only related to South and North American desert and xeric shrublands of tropical and subtropical arid climates. They are only native of the New World shrublands biome. ^[1]

Contents 1 Common names 2 Taxonomy 3 Usage 4 References

[edit] Common names

Condalia species are often commonly referred to as snakewood, "buckthorn" or even condalia in English. Southern hemisphere species are of Spanish or Amerindian origin as in "piquillín" or "yuna". Though prevalent, snakewood is a broad name and should not be used to establish the identity of any particular species.

[edit] Taxonomy

Taxonomic coherence and consensus has not been reached regarding which species are included in this genus. This is due to the genus having two cores of research, as with its distribution: North and South America. As seen, a local taxonomic structure of species does not contain, or worry to contain, the other.

[edit] Usage

Condalia species research and application in economic, medical, et al, human activities is still poor. Biochemical features are still under ongoing research ^[2]. There may be, however, few local ethnomedical usages not well documented nor broadly published in relation to a particular species.

[edit] References