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The genus Passerina is a group of birds in the Cardinal family Cardinalidae. Although not directly related to buntings in the family Emberizidae, they are sometimes known as the North American buntings (the North American Emberizidae are colloquially called "sparrows" although they are also not related to these birds).

The males show vivid colours in the breeding season; the plumage of females and immature birds is duller. These birds go through two molts in a year; the males are generally less colourful in winter. They have short tails and short slim legs. They have smaller bills than other Cardinalidae; they mainly eat seeds in winter and insects in summer.

Blue Grosbeak (P. caerulea) was once placed in the monotypic genus, Guiraca.

Species [edit]

• Blue Grosbeak, P. caerulea
• Lazuli Bunting, P. amoena
• Indigo Bunting, P. cyanea
• Varied Bunting, P. versicolor
• Painted Bunting, P. ciris
• Rose-bellied Bunting, P. rositae
• Orange-breasted Bunting, P. leclancherii

Passerina is a genus in the plant family Thymelaeaceae.

Passerina sprig showing decussant leaves

Overview and description

Passerina L., Sp. Pl. 559 (1753); Wright in FC. 5, 2: 9 (1915); Thoday in Kew Bull. 1924: 146, 387 (1924). Chymococca Meissn., Wright 1.c. 14, is a genus of plants in the family Thymelaeaceae. The Passerinas are ericoid shrublets or shrubs. Their leaves are markedly decussate and concave or closely involute, lined with woolly hairs, and clinging to leafy stems without being large enough to cover them. This gives the plants a characteristic plaited or corded appearance. The flowers are borne in terminal spikes or in a four-flowered head. They are subtended by bracts usually broader than leaves. The calyx is four-lobed, its tube flask-shaped or subcylindrical with spreading lobes that are shorter than the tube. There are no petals, but eight stamens of unequal length, the longest being the length of the calyx-lobes. The ovary is ovoid with a single loculus containing a solitary ovule. The style is lateral, bearing a mop-like stigma that fills the mouth of the calyx-tube. The fruit is enclosed in the persistent base of the calyx-tube. The usually is membranous, but some species, e.g. Passerina ericoides have a fleshy pericarp, forming a red berry attractive to birds and tortoises, hence one of its common names, "skilpadbessie", meaning "tortoise berry". However, that name also is applied to other plants, such as Nylandtia spinosa. The seeds have a black, crustaceous testa and curved, beak-like micropyle. Like the related Struthiola, the beak-like aspects of the fruit inspired the name "Passerina", which is from the Latin passerinus, meaning "sparrow-like". There are some forty species, mostly South African, though some extend north of the border. The greatest concentration of species is in Cape fynbos.

List of species

References

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