| Byttneria | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Eudicots |
| (unranked): | Rosids |
| Order: | Malvales |
| Family: | Malvaceae |
| Subfamily: | Byttnerioideae |
| Genus: | Byttneria Löfl. |
Byttneria is a genus of flowering plant in the family Malvaceae (or Sterculiaceae if these are considered valid). Several species have become rare through deforestation, some (e.g. B. minytricha are threatened with extinction, and B. ivorensis from Côte d'Ivoire may already have disappeared entirely, having only been found once, in 1896.)
This genus serves as host plants for some Lepidoptera caterpillars. These include Hedylidae (e.g. Macrosoma heliconiaria and M. semiermis, both recorded on B. aculeata), Endoclita undulifer and Endoclita buettneria. The latter is only known from Byttneria species. Two-barred Flasher (Astraptes fulgerator) caterpillars also eat these plants occasionally, and are known at least from B. catalpaefolia.