Coursetia
Encyclopedia
Coursetia is a large genus of flowering plant
s in the pea
family, Fabaceae
. Members of the genus, commonly known as babybonnets, are shrub
s and small trees native to the Southwestern United States
, Mexico
, the Caribbean
, Central America
, and South America
as far south as Brazil
and Peru
. The genus is named for French botanist Georges Louis Marie Dumont de Courset
(1746-1824).
Flowering plant
The flowering plants , also known as Angiospermae or Magnoliophyta, are the most diverse group of land plants. Angiosperms are seed-producing plants like the gymnosperms and can be distinguished from the gymnosperms by a series of synapomorphies...
s in the pea
Pea
A pea is most commonly the small spherical seed or the seed-pod of the pod fruit Pisum sativum. Each pod contains several peas. Peapods are botanically a fruit, since they contain seeds developed from the ovary of a flower. However, peas are considered to be a vegetable in cooking...
family, Fabaceae
Fabaceae
The Fabaceae or Leguminosae, commonly known as the legume, pea, or bean family, is a large and economically important family of flowering plants. The group is the third largest land plant family, behind only the Orchidaceae and Asteraceae, with 730 genera and over 19,400 species...
. Members of the genus, commonly known as babybonnets, are shrub
Shrub
A shrub or bush is distinguished from a tree by its multiple stems and shorter height, usually under 5–6 m tall. A large number of plants may become either shrubs or trees, depending on the growing conditions they experience...
s and small trees native to the Southwestern United States
Southwestern United States
The Southwestern United States is a region defined in different ways by different sources. Broad definitions include nearly a quarter of the United States, including Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas and Utah...
, Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
, the Caribbean
Caribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
, Central America
Central America
Central America is the central geographic region of the Americas. It is the southernmost, isthmian portion of the North American continent, which connects with South America on the southeast. When considered part of the unified continental model, it is considered a subcontinent...
, and South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
as far south as Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
and Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
. The genus is named for French botanist Georges Louis Marie Dumont de Courset
Georges Louis Marie Dumont de Courset
George Louis Marie Dumont de Courset was a French botanist and agronomist. Born near Boulogne, he studied in Paris and showed an aptitude for music and drawing....
(1746-1824).
Selected species
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Coursetia gracilis Coursetia gracilis is a species of legume in the Fabaceae family.It is found only in Ecuador.Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical dry shrubland.-Source:* Neill, D. & Pitman, N. 2004. . Downloaded on 19 July 2007.... Lavin Coursetia hypoleuca Coursetia hypoleuca is a species of legume in the Fabaceae family.It is found in Argentina and Bolivia.It is threatened by habitat loss.-Source:* Prado, D. 1998. . Downloaded on 19 July 2007.... (Speg.) Lavin |
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Formerly placed here
- Lonchocarpus hermannii M.Sousa (as C. mexicana S.Watson)
- Sesbania virgata (Cav.) Pers. (as C. virgata (Cav.) DC.)