Polycarpaea nivea
Polycarpaea nivea Webb
Polycarpaea nivea is a flowering plant species in the Caryophyllaceae family. It was first described as Achyranthes nivea by William Aiton in 1828 and later transferred to the genus Polycarpaea by Philip Barker Webb in 1849. The species is native to the Canary Islands, Mauritania, Morocco, and Western Sahara. The specific epithet nivea, derived from Latin, describes the plant's white coloration.
Description
Polycarpaea nivea belongs to the Caryophyllaceae, a family commonly known as carnation or carnation-like plants. It was originally classified under the genus Achyranthes by William Aiton in 1828. In 1849, Philip Barker Webb reclassified it into the genus Polycarpaea. The species is found in the Canary Islands, as well as in parts of North Africa, including Mauritania, Morocco, and Western Sahara. The name nivea refers to the plant's white coloration, as nivea is Latin for 'white as snow'.
Distribution
Canary Is. · Mauritania · Morocco · Western Sahara
Synonyms
Lahaya gnaphalioidesMollia gnaphalodesPolycarpaea gnaphalodesAchyranthes niveaHagaea gnaphalodesIllecebrum gnaphalodes
