Fouquieria
Encyclopedia
Fouquieria is a genus
of 11 species
of desert
plant
s, the sole genus in the family
Fouquieriaceae. The genus includes the ocotillo (F. splendens) and the boojum tree or cirio (F. columnaris). They have semi-succulent stems with thinner spikes projecting from them, with leaves
on the bases spikes. They are unrelated to cacti
and do not look much like them; their stems are proportionately thinner than cactus stems and their leaves are larger.
These plants are native to northern Mexico
and the bordering US
states of Arizona
, southern California
, New Mexico
, and parts of southwestern Texas
, favoring low, arid hillsides.
The Seri people identify three species of Fouquieria in their area of Mexico: jomjéeziz or xomjéeziz (F. splendens), jomjéeziz caacöl (F. diguetii, Baja California tree ocotillo), and cototaj (F. columnaris, boojum).
The genus is named after French physician Pierre Fouquier
(1776-1850).
The spines of Fouquieria develop in an unusual way, from a woody thickening on the outer (lower) side of the leaf petiole
, which remains after the leaf blade and most of the petiole separate and fall from the plant.
. Prior to this, they had been variously placed in the Violales
or their own order Fouquieriales.
basin in Mexico
, and is unusual in possessing vertical resinous wax bands on the stems, and exhibits gypsophily, the ability to grow on soils with a high concentration of gypsum
. It has aromatic white flowers and is presumed to be moth-pollinated. Other species in the genus with orange or red flowers are pollinated by hummingbird
s or carpenter bee
s. Fouquieria diguetii is host to a peacock mite
, Tuckerella eloisae.
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
of 11 species
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
of desert
Desert
A desert is a landscape or region that receives an extremely low amount of precipitation, less than enough to support growth of most plants. Most deserts have an average annual precipitation of less than...
plant
Plant
Plants are living organisms belonging to the kingdom Plantae. Precise definitions of the kingdom vary, but as the term is used here, plants include familiar organisms such as trees, flowers, herbs, bushes, grasses, vines, ferns, mosses, and green algae. The group is also called green plants or...
s, the sole genus in the family
Family (biology)
In biological classification, family is* a taxonomic rank. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, genus, and species, with family fitting between order and genus. As for the other well-known ranks, there is the option of an immediately lower rank, indicated by the...
Fouquieriaceae. The genus includes the ocotillo (F. splendens) and the boojum tree or cirio (F. columnaris). They have semi-succulent stems with thinner spikes projecting from them, with leaves
Leaf
A leaf is an organ of a vascular plant, as defined in botanical terms, and in particular in plant morphology. Foliage is a mass noun that refers to leaves as a feature of plants....
on the bases spikes. They are unrelated to cacti
Cactus
A cactus is a member of the plant family Cactaceae. Their distinctive appearance is a result of adaptations to conserve water in dry and/or hot environments. In most species, the stem has evolved to become photosynthetic and succulent, while the leaves have evolved into spines...
and do not look much like them; their stems are proportionately thinner than cactus stems and their leaves are larger.
These plants are native to northern Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
and the bordering US
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
states of Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
, southern California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, New Mexico
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
, and parts of southwestern Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, favoring low, arid hillsides.
The Seri people identify three species of Fouquieria in their area of Mexico: jomjéeziz or xomjéeziz (F. splendens), jomjéeziz caacöl (F. diguetii, Baja California tree ocotillo), and cototaj (F. columnaris, boojum).
The genus is named after French physician Pierre Fouquier
Pierre Fouquier
Pierre Éloy Fouquier was a physician and professor of medicine.Fouquier was born in Maissemy. In addition to being doctor for Charles X of France and Louis-Philippe of France, Fouquier was also a member of the Académie de Médecine. He died in Paris.The Fouquieria genus of plant life is named in...
(1776-1850).
The spines of Fouquieria develop in an unusual way, from a woody thickening on the outer (lower) side of the leaf petiole
Petiole
Petiole may refer to:*Petiole , the stalk of a leaf, attaching the blade to the stem*Petiole , the stem formed by a restricted abdominal segment that connects the thorax with the gaster in the suborder Apocrita...
, which remains after the leaf blade and most of the petiole separate and fall from the plant.
Classification
Fouquieria species do not have a particularly close resemblance to any other sort of plants; genetic evidence has shown that they belong in the EricalesEricales
The Ericales are a large and diverse order of dicotyledons, including for example tea, persimmon, blueberry, Brazil nut, and azalea. The order includes trees and bushes, lianas and herbaceous plants. Together with ordinary autophytic plants, the Ericales include chlorophyll-deficient...
. Prior to this, they had been variously placed in the Violales
Violales
Violales is a botanical name of an order of flowering plants and takes its name from the included family Violaceae. The name has been used in several systems, although some systems used the name Parietales for similar groupings...
or their own order Fouquieriales.
Ecology
Fouquieria shrevei is endemic to the Cuatro CiénegasCuatro Ciénegas
Cuatro Ciénegas is a city in the northern Mexican state of Coahuila. It stands at , at an average elevation of 740 metres above sea level. The city serves as the municipal seat for the surrounding municipality of the same name....
basin in Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
, and is unusual in possessing vertical resinous wax bands on the stems, and exhibits gypsophily, the ability to grow on soils with a high concentration of gypsum
Gypsum
Gypsum is a very soft sulfate mineral composed of calcium sulfate dihydrate, with the chemical formula CaSO4·2H2O. It is found in alabaster, a decorative stone used in Ancient Egypt. It is the second softest mineral on the Mohs Hardness Scale...
. It has aromatic white flowers and is presumed to be moth-pollinated. Other species in the genus with orange or red flowers are pollinated by hummingbird
Hummingbird
Hummingbirds are birds that comprise the family Trochilidae. They are among the smallest of birds, most species measuring in the 7.5–13 cm range. Indeed, the smallest extant bird species is a hummingbird, the 5-cm Bee Hummingbird. They can hover in mid-air by rapidly flapping their wings...
s or carpenter bee
Carpenter bee
Carpenter bees are large, hairy bees distributed worldwide. There are some 500 species of carpenter bee in 31 subgenera...
s. Fouquieria diguetii is host to a peacock mite
Peacock mite
The peacock mites are a significant pest in the tropics, for example on citrus fruit. It is the only genus of the mite family Tuckerellidae. Peacock mites are so named because of the elaborate ornamentations adorning the dorsal surface of their bodies ...
, Tuckerella eloisae.
Species
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