Vitex

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Vitex
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae Division: Magnoliophyta Class: Magnoliopsida Order: Lamiales Family: Lamiaceae Genus: Vitex L.
Species
About 250 species, including: Vitex altissima Vitex agnus-castus Vitex capitata Vitex cofassus Vitex cuneata Vitex divaricata Vitex doniana Vitex incisa Vitex keniensis Vitex leucoxylon Vitex lignum-vitae Vitex lindenii Vitex lucens Vitex negundo Vitex parviflora Vitex peduncularis Vitex quinata Vitex rotundifolia Vitex trifolia Vitex zeyheri

Vitex is a genus of about 250 species of shrubs and trees, 1-35 m tall, native to tropical, subtropical and also warm temperate regions throughout the world. In the past widely included in the family Verbenaceae, it has recently been transferred to the family Lamiaceae (Labiatae, the Mint family).^[1][2][3]

Species include:

• Vitex agnus-castus (Chaste tree, Chasteberry or Monk's Pepper); indigenous to the Mediterranean region
• Vitex cuneata, known in West Africa for its sweet black fruit (koronfinfin in the Bamana language)
• Vitex lucens, known as Puriri; endemic to New Zealand
• Vitex keniensis, known as Meru Oak and endemic to Kenya
• Vitex negundo
• Vitex trifolia (Simpleleaf chastetree)

[edit] References

1. ^ List of Genera in LAMIACEAE. Angiosperm Phylogeny Website. Retrieved on 2008-02-27.
2. ^ Ray Harley, "In search of Labiatae in Eastern Brazil", Vitex: A Newsletter for Lamiaceae & Verbenaceae Research, ISSN 1470-0123, Issue 1, February 2000, page 5.
3. ^ Systematics of Lamiaceae Subfamily Viticoideae. Retrieved on 2008-02-27.