Melanthera

Melanthera (common name: squarestem),^[3] is a genus of perennial^[4] flowering plants in the family Asteraceae, native to the tropical and subtropical Americas.^[2]

Melanthera
Melanthera nivea
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Asterids
Order:	Asterales
Family:	Asteraceae
Subfamily:	Asteroideae
Tribe:	Heliantheae
Subtribe:	Ecliptinae
Genus:	Melanthera Rohr[1]
Synonyms[2]
Echinocephalum Gardner Melananthera Michx.

Despite their general hardiness, leaves of Melanthera species are often attacked by rusts such as Uromyces columbianus and Uromyces martinii.^[5]

Taxonomy

The classification of this genus was uncertain. At times it included species native North and South America, as well as Africa, Asia and Oceania, including Hawaiʻi.^{[6][7][8][9][10]} Further studies are needed to clarify its taxonomic and phylogenetic relationships.^[11]

The genus now includes three species native to the tropical Americas.^[2] Species formerly placed in genus Melanthera are now placed in Lipochaeta (Hawaiian species), Lipotriche (sub-Saharan African species), and Wollastonia (species from eastern Africa, tropical and subtropical Asia, Australia, and the Pacific).^[12]

Species

Three species are currently accepted.^[2]

• Melanthera latifolia (Gardner) Cabrera - Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay, Uruguay, and northern Argentina
• Melanthera nivea (L.) Small – Pineland Squarestem, Snow Squarestem, Yerba de Cabra; SE United States (LA MS AL GA FL SC TN KY IL),^[13] Caribbean, Mexico (from Tamaulipas to Quintana Roo), Central America, South America (Colombia, Venezuela, Guyana, northern Brazil, Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia)
• Melanthera parvifolia Small – Small-leaf Squarestem - southern Florida

Unplaced names

• Melanthera cinerea Schweinf. - Africa

Formerly placed here

• Lipochaeta bryanii Sherff – Pili Nehe; Hawaiʻi (as Melanthera bryanii (Sherff) W.L.Wagner & H.Rob.)
• Lipochaeta fauriei H.Lév. – Olokele Canyon Nehe; Hawaiʻi (as Melanthera fauriei (H. Lév.) W.L.Wagner & H.Rob.)
• Lipochaeta integrifolia (Nutt.) A.Gray – Kure Atoll Nehe; Hawaiʻi (as Melanthera integrifolia (Nutt.) W.L.Wagner & H.Rob.)
• Lipochaeta kamolensis O.Deg. & Sherff – Maui Nehe; MauʻI (as Melanthera kamolensis (O.Deg.) & Sherff) W.L.Wagner & H.Rob.)
• Lipochaeta lavarum (Gaudich.) DC. – Coastal Nehe; Hawaiʻi. (as Melanthera lavarum (Gaudich.) W.L. Wagner & H.Rob.)
• Lipochaeta micrantha (Nutt.) A.Gray - Hawaiʻi (as Melanthera micrantha (Nutt.) W.L.Wagner & H.Rob.)
• Lipochaeta perdita Sherff – Koʻokoʻolau; Hawaiʻi (as Melanthera perdita (Sherff) W.L.Wagner & H.Rob.)
• Lipochaeta populifolia (Sherff) R.C.Gardner – Grassland Nehe; Hawaiʻi (as Melanthera populifolia (Sherff) W.L. Wagner & H.Rob.)
• Lipochaeta remyi A.Gray – Annual Nehe; Hawaiʻi (as Melanthera remyi (A.Gray) W.L.Wagner & H.Rob.)
• Lipochaeta subcordata A.Gray - Hawaiʻi (as Melanthera subcordata (A.Gray) W.L.Wagner & H.Rob.)
• Lipochaeta tenuis O.Deg. & Sherff – Streambed Nehe; Hawaiʻi (as Melanthera tenuis (O.Deg. & Sherff) W.L.Wagner & H.Rob.)
• Lipochaeta tenuifolia A.Gray – Waianae Range Nehe; Oʻahu (as Melanthera tenuifolia (A.Gray) W.L.Wagner & H.Rob.)
• Lipochaeta venosa Sherff – Spreading Nehe; Hawaiʻi (as Melanthera venosa (Sherff) W.L. Wagner & H.Rob.)
• Lipochaeta waimeaensis H.St.John – Waimea Canyon Nehe; KauaʻI (as Melanthera waimeaensis (H.St.John) W.L. Wagner & H.Rob.)
• Lipotriche abyssinica (Sch.Bip. ex A.Rich.) Orchard (as Melanthera abyssinica (Sch.Bip. ex A.Rich.) Benth. & Hook.f. ex Vatke, M. djalonensis A.Chev., and M. sokodensis Muschl. ex Hutch. & Dalziel)
• Lipotriche elliptica (O.Hoffm.) D.J.N.Hind (as Melanthera elliptica O.Hoffm. and M. chevalieri O.Hoffm. & Muschl.)
• Lipotriche felicis (C.D.Adams) D.J.N.Hind (as Melanthera felicis C.D.Adams)
• Lipotriche gambica (Hutch. & Dalziel) Orchard (as Melanthera gambica Hutch. & Dalziel)
• Lipotriche marlothiana (O.Hoffm.) D.J.N.Hind (as Melanthera marlothiana O.Hoffm.)
• Lipotriche pungens (Oliv. & Hiern) Orchard (as Melanthera pungens Oliv. & Hiern)
• Lipotriche rhombifolia (O.Hoffm. & Muschl.) D.J.N.Hind) (as Melanthera rhombifolia O.Hoffm. & Muschl.)
• Lipotriche richardsiae (Wild) D.J.N.Hind (as Melanthera richardsae Wild)
• Lipotriche robinsonii (Wild) D.J.N.Hind (as Melanthera robinsonii Wild)
• Lipotriche scaberrima (Hiern) D.J.N.Hind (as Melanthera scaberrima Hiern)
• Lipotriche scandens (Schumach. & Thonn.) Orchard (as Melanthera scandens (Schumach. & Thonn.) Brenan)
• Lipotriche tithonioides (Aké Assi) D.J.N.Hind (as Melanthera tithonioides Aké Assi)
• Lipotriche triternata (Klatt) Orchard (as Melanthera baumii O.Hoffm., M. monochaeta Hiern, M. schinziana S.Moore, M. triternata (Klatt) Wild, and M. varians Hiern)
• Wollastonia biflora (L.) DC. (as Melanthera biflora (L.) Wild.)
• Wollastonia dentata (H.Lév. & Vaniot) Orchard (as Melanthera prostrata (Hemsl.) W.L.Wagner & H.Rob., M. robusta (Makino) K.Ohashi & H.Ohashi, or M. taiwanensis S.S.Ying)
• Wollastonia lifuana (Hochr. (as Melanthera lifuana (Hochr.) W.L.Wagner & H.Rob.)