Lewisia

Lewisia Pursh ()
🌵 Author(s)
🌵 Published in Fl. Amer. Sept. (Pursh) 2: 360 (1813)
Etymology

Named for American explorer Meriwether Lewis (1774-1809), who collected the type species (Lewisia redivida) “[o]n the banks of Clarck’s river”. Pursh: “The specimen with roots taken out of the Herbarium of M. Lewis, Esq. was planted by Mr. M’Mahon of Philadelphia, and vegetated for more than one year: but some accident happening to it, I had not the pleasure of seeing it in flower.”

This genus was included in Cactaceae by John Lindley (Intr. Nat. Syst. Bot., ed. 2.: 54. 1836), who described it as “a sort of leafy Mammillaria“. It is now placed in the family Montiaceae.


How to cite

Maarten H.J. van der Meer (2023 May 24). Lewisia. Dictionary of Cactus Names. Retrieved from https://www.cactusnames.org/lewisia

Other resources
🌵 Biodiversity Heritage Library
🌵 Wikipedia
🌵 Wikispecies