Abronia

A-bro'ni-a. Sand Verbena . About 30 species of annual and perennial plants mostly from w. North America.

Description
Stems erect or prostrate, leaves opposite, stalked, all usually sticky-hairy. Flowers tubular, in a loose, stalked head, below which are 5 or more colored bracts. Calyx petal-like.

How to Grow
The species described below needs a long, cool growing season. Start indoors or in a coldframe, and plant after the last frost. Removing the seed husks before planting will speed germination. Used for borders or rock gardens.

Abronia umbellata
Sand Verbena . A vinelike herb 6-24 in. (15-60 cm) long. Flowers in. (13 mm) long, pink, usually with 10-15 in an umbel-like cluster, 2 in. (5 cm) across. Pacific Coast. Cultivar 'Grandiflora' has larger flowers; 'Rosea' has pale rose flowers. Tender perennial grown as a tender annual.

The noun has one meaning:

Meaning #1: genus of western North American herbs having showy flowers
  Synonym: genus Abronia

Abronia
Yellow Sand Verbena (Abronia latifolia)
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae Division: Magnoliophyta Class: Magnoliopsida Order: Caryophyllales Family: Nyctaginaceae Genus: Abronia Juss.
species
See text

Abronia villosa

Abronia ameliae

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 (vervains) or lantanas in the family Verbenaceae. They are closely allied with Tripterocalyx (Nyctaginaceae).

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. 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
• Abronia ameliae
• Abronia ammophila
• Abronia angustifolia
• Abronia argillosa
• Abronia bigelovii
• Abronia bolackii
• Abronia carletonii
• Abronia cycloptera
• Abronia elliptica
• Abronia fragrans
• Abronia latifolia
• Abronia macrocarpa
• Abronia maritima
• Abronia mellifera
• Abronia nana
• Abronia pogonantha
• Abronia turbinata
• Abronia umbellata
• Abronia villosa

Cultivation and uses

The stout, sweet root of Abronia fragrans and Abronia latifolia, sometimes over 60 cm long, can be eaten as a root vegetable.

References and external links

• Galloway, LA. 1976. Systematics of the North American desert species of Abronia and Tripterocalyx (Nyctaginaceae). Brittonia 27 (4): 328-347 (1975 publ. 1976)
• Flora of North America: Abronia

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