Exodeconus miersii
| Exodeconus miersii | |
|---|---|
| |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Embryophytes |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Spermatophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Solanales |
| Family: | Solanaceae |
| Genus: | Exodeconus |
| Species: | E. miersii
|
| Binomial name | |
| Exodeconus miersii (Hook.f.) D'Arcy
| |
Exodeconus miersii is a species of flowering plant in the Solanaceae (nightshade) family. Its botanical name refers to the English botanist John Miers (1789 - 1879), who studied flora in South America. This flower is endemic to the Galapagos Islands, and is thus often called by the common name Galapagos Shore Petunia.[2] The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) considers it to be among plant species of least concern.[1]
This plant has five further synonyms:[3]
- Cacabus miersii (Hook.f.) Wettst. in H.G.A.Engler & K.A.E.Prantl, Nat. Pflanzenfam. 4(3b): 16 (1891);
- Dictyocalyx miersii Hook.f. in Trans. Linn. Soc. London 20: 203 (1847);
- Cacabus hookeri A.Stewart in Proc. Calif. Acad. Sci., ser. 4, 1: 137 (1911);
- Thinogeton hookeri Andersson in Kongl. Vetensk. Acad. Handl. 1853: 217 (1855);
- Thinogeton miersii Miers in Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist., ser. 2, 4: 359 (1849).
Description
[edit]Exodeconus miersii is a creeping plant with large, hairy, light green leaves that form a dense ground cover. It has large white trumpet-shaped flowers.[2] It is drought tolerant. Its fruit is a capsule having an elongate ovate shape. The trumpet-shaped flowers have green veins.[4]
Range and habitat
[edit]Exodeconus miersii is present widely on the Galapagos Islands, where it grows on rocks and sandy soils.[citation needed] This flowering plant has a coastal habitat, as indicated by its common name. Sometimes it inhabits arid lowlands, but more often is found along shorelines.[4]
The particular islands in the Galapagos where it is likely to be encountered are these: (1) Española Island at Punta Suarez; (2) Fernandina Island at Punta Espinosa; (3) Genovesa Island at Darwin Bay; and (4) Isabela Island (a.k.a. Albemarle Island) at Tagus Cove and Urbina Bay.[5] According to John Miers, Charles Darwin studied these flowers at Albemarle Island (which is the same as Isabela Island).[6]
References
[edit]- ^ a b Tye, A.; Siemens, T. (2019) [errata version of 2014 assessment]. "Exodeconus miersii". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2014 e.T64863710A148187653. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2014-3.RLTS.T64863710A148187653.en. Retrieved 1 June 2026.
- ^ a b "Charles Darwin Foundation".
- ^ Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. "Exodeconus miersii (Hook.f.) D'Arcy", Plants of the World Online.
- ^ a b Langellotto, Gail et al. "Supporting Galápagos Native Species via Ecological Landscape Design in Urban Greenspaces" in Human Galapagos. Social and Ecological Interactions in the Galapagos Islands. Springer, (2026).
- ^ McMullen, Conley. Flowering Plants of the Galápagos, Appendix 2, pp. 352-361 (Cornell U. Press, 2018).
- ^ Miers, John. "Contributions to the Botany of South America", The Annals and magazine of natural history; zoology, botany, and geology (1849), vol. 3, at 359-360. Miers used the synonym "Thinogeton miersii".
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