Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jul 28, 2026

Xiphotheca

Xiphotheca is a genus of flowering plants in the legume family, Fabaceae. It includes 10 species of shrubs endemic to the Cape Provinces of South Africa. They grow in fynbos, generally at medium or low elevations, and often species have highly localised ranges. The genus belongs to the subfamily Faboideae. The name of the genus is a compound of Ancient Greek ξίφος (ksíphos), which means "sword", and θήκη (thēkē) which can mean "box" or "sheath"—a reference to the shape of the legume pods. Members of this genus can be distinguished by:"(1) the presence of bracteoles in most species; (2) the fusion of the bracts with the base of the pedicel; (3) the laterally compressed pods; and (4) the accumulation of anabasine as a major alkaloid."

Last revised
Jul 28, 2026
Read time
≈ 2 min
Length
359 w
Citations
8
Source
Wikipedia ↗
Xiphotheca
Xiphotheca fruticosa
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Embryophytes
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Spermatophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Fabales
Family: Fabaceae
Subfamily: Faboideae
Tribe: Podalyrieae
Genus: Xiphotheca
Eckl. & Zeyh. (1836)
Species

See text.

Xiphotheca is endemic to the fynbos of South Africa.1
  •   Range of section Congestae
  •   Range of section Xiphotheca
Synonyms2
  • Priestleya sect. Aneisothea DC.

Xiphotheca is a genus of flowering plants in the legume family, Fabaceae. It includes 10 species of shrubs endemic to the Cape Provinces of South Africa. They grow in fynbos (Mediterranean-climate shrubland), generally at medium or low elevations, and often species have highly localised ranges.3 The genus belongs to the subfamily Faboideae. The name of the genus is a compound of Ancient Greek ξίφος (ksíphos), which means "sword", and θήκη (thēkē) which can mean "box" or "sheath"—a reference to the shape of the legume pods.1 Members of this genus can be distinguished by:

"(1) the presence of bracteoles in most species; (2) the fusion of the bracts with the base of the pedicel; (3) the laterally compressed pods; and (4) the accumulation of anabasine as a major alkaloid."1

Species

Xiphotheca comprises the following species:214

Section Congestae

  • Xiphotheca fruticosa (L.) A. L. Schutte & B.-E. van Wyk
  • Xiphotheca guthriei (L. Bolus) A. L. Schutte & B.-E. van Wyk
  • Xiphotheca lanceolata (E. Mey.) Eckl. & Zeyh.
  • Xiphotheca reflexa (Thunb.) A. L. Schutte & B.-E. van Wyk

Section Xiphotheca

  • Xiphotheca canescens (Thunb.) A. L. Schutte & B.-E. van Wyk
  • Xiphotheca cordifolia A. L. Schutte & B.-E. van Wyk
  • Xiphotheca elliptica (DC.) A. L. Schutte & B.-E. van Wyk
  • Xiphotheca phylicoides A. L. Schutte & B.-E. van Wyk
  • Xiphotheca tecta (Thunb.) A. L. Schutte & B.-E. van Wyk
References

References

  1. Schutte AL (1997). "A revision of the genus Xiphotheca (Fabaceae)". Ann Missouri Bot Gard. 84 (1): 90–102. doi:10.2307/2399955. JSTOR 2399955.
  2. Schutte AL, Van Wyk B-E (1993). "The Reinstatement of the Genus Xiphotheca (Fabaceae)". Taxon. 41 (1): 43–49. doi:10.2307/1223301. JSTOR 1223301.
  3. [https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:23831-1 Plants of the World Online. Retrieved 23 September 2023.
  4. USDA; ARS; National Genetic Resources Program. "GRIN species records of Xiphotheca". Germplasm Resources Information Network—(GRIN) [Online Database]. National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland. Retrieved 28 February 2014.