The genus Abronia, also known as Arboreal Alligator Lizards, belongs to the family of Anguidae. Members of this genus are found in Central to northeastern South America. These lizards are almost exclusively arboreal and can be found as high as up to 40 m in trees.

Species

The following species are currently recognized:^[1]

• Abronia anzuetoi Campbell & Frost, 1993
• Abronia aurita (Cope, 1869)
• Abronia bogerti Tihen, 1954
• Abronia campbelli Brodie & Savage, 1993
• Abronia chiszari Smith & Smith, 1981
• Abronia deppii (Wiegmann, 1828)
• Abronia fimbriata (Cope, 1884)
• Abronia frosti Campbell, Sasa, Acevedo & Mendelson, 1998
• Abronia fuscolabialis (Tihen, 1944)
• Abronia gaiophantasma Campbell & Frost, 1993
• Abronia graminea (Cope, 1864)
• Abronia leurolepis Campbell & Frost, 1993
• Abronia lythrochila Smith & Alvarez del Toro, 1963
• Abronia martindelcampoi Flores-Villela & Sánchez-H., 2003
• Abronia matudai (Hartweg & Tihen, 1946)
• Abronia meledona Campbell & Brodie, 1999
• Abronia mitchelli Campbell, 1982
• Abronia mixteca Bogert & Porter, 1967
• Abronia montecristoi Hidalgo, 1983 — Monte Cristo Arboreal Alligator Lizard
• Abronia oaxacae (Günther, 1885)
• Abronia ochoterenai (Martin del Campo, 1939)
• Abronia ornelasi Campbell, 1984
• Abronia ramirezi Campbell, 1994
• Abronia reidi Werler & Shannon, 1961
• Abronia salvadorensis Hidalgo, 1983
• Abronia Smithi Campbell & Frost, 1993
• Abronia taeniata (Wiegmann, 1828)
• Abronia vasconcelosii (Bocourt, 1871)

References

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.

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

Formerly placed here

• Tripterocalyx carneus (Greene) L.A.Galloway (as A. carnea Greene)
• Tripterocalyx crux-maltae (Kellogg) Standl. (as A. crux-maltae Kellogg)
• Tripterocalyx micranthus (Torr.) Hook. (as A. micrantha Torr.)
• Tripterocalyx wootonii Standl. (as A. wootonii (Standl.) Tidestr.)^[3]

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

• 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

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.

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

Formerly placed here

• Tripterocalyx carneus (Greene) L.A.Galloway (as A. carnea Greene)
• Tripterocalyx crux-maltae (Kellogg) Standl. (as A. crux-maltae Kellogg)
• Tripterocalyx micranthus (Torr.) Hook. (as A. micrantha Torr.)
• Tripterocalyx wootonii Standl. (as A. wootonii (Standl.) Tidestr.)^[3]

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

• 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