Brandegea is a monotypic genus containing the single species Brandegea bigelovii, the desert starvine. This sprawling perennial vine in the squash family is native to the deserts of California, Arizona, and northern Mexico. The distinctive small, dark-green leaves are variable in shape but are usually a deeply lobed long-fingered palmate shape. They are heavily speckled with white oil glands. The vine bears tendrils, tiny five-pointed white flowers only 2 or 3 millimeters wide, and small, dry, prickly fruits 5 or 6 millimeters in length and holding a single seed. The plant grows from a deep taproot.
| Brandegea | |
|---|---|
| |
| Brandegea bigelovii | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Cucurbitales |
| Family: | Cucurbitaceae |
| Subfamily: | Cucurbitoideae |
| Tribe: | Sicyoeae |
| Genus: | Brandegea Cogn. |
| Species: | B. bigelovii
|
| Binomial name | |
| Brandegea bigelovii | |
| Synonyms | |
|
Echinopepon bigelovii (S. Watson) S. Watson | |
Classification
edit| Rank | Scientific Name and Common Name |
|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae – Plants |
| Sub Kingdom | Tracheobionta – Vascular plants |
| Super Division | Spermatophyta – Seed plants |
| Division | Magnoliophyta – Flowering plants |
| Class | Magnoliopsida – Dicotyledons |
| Subclass | Dilleniidae |
| Order | Violales |
| Family | Cucurbitaceae – Cucumber family |
| Genus | Brandegea Cogn. – starvine |
| Species | Brandegea bigelovii (S. Watson) Cogn. – desert starvine |
References
edit- ^ "Plants Profile for Brandegea bigelovii (desert starvine)". plants.usda.gov.
External links
edit
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