Punica

Punica is a small genus of fruit-bearing deciduous shrubs or small trees. It belongs in the family Lythraceae.

Punica
Pomegranate fruit.jpg
Punica granatum
Scientific classification e
Unrecognized taxon (fix): Punica
Species

See text

Synonyms

Socotria G.M.Levin[1]

Name

The name of the genus Punica was given by Linnaeus in 1753 in Species Plantarum (Vol. 1, page 472). The type species is Punica granatum L.[2]

Punica comes from the Latin name for the pomegranate, malum punicum, meaning "Carthaginian apple" ("apple from Carthage").[3]

Description

The species in this genus are shrubs or small trees that could grow up to 6 to 10 m (20 to 33 ft) high. Leaves are opossite. Flowers and fruits are yellow to bright red.

Fruits are berries with a strong skin, like leather. Fruits have many seeds with fleshy and edible coats (called sacrotesta).

Species

There are only two species accepted in the genus Punica:[4]

Although previously placed in its own family Punicaceae, recent phylogenetic studies have shown that Punica belongs in the family Lythraceae, and it is classified in that family by the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group.

Punica Media

References

  1. "Genus: Punica L." Germplasm Resources Information Network. United States Department of Agriculture. 1998-06-02. Archived from the original on 2013-06-14. Retrieved 2012-12-09.
  2. Carolus Linnaeus. "Species Plantarum, Tomus I" (in Latina). p. 472. Retrieved 8 January 2017.
  3. 3.0 3.1 Morton, Julia F. (1987). "Pomegranate, Punica granatum L." Fruits of Warm Climates. Purdue New Crops Profile. pp. 352–355. Retrieved 8 January 2017.
  4. "Punica". The Plant List. Archived from the original on 5 September 2017. Retrieved 8 January 2017.