Wislizenia

Taxobox
name = "Wislizenia"
regnum = Plantae
unranked_divisio = Angiosperms
unranked_classis = Eudicots
unranked_ordo = Rosids
ordo = Brassicales
familia = Cleomaceae
genus = "Wislizenia"
species = "W. refracta"
binomial = "Wislizenia refracta"
binomial_authority = Engelm.

"Wislizenia" is a monotypic genus of flowering plant containing the single species "Wislizenia refracta", which is known by the common names spectacle fruit and jackass clover. Like genus "Cleome" and several relatives, "Wislizenia" has traditionally been included in the caper family, Capparaceae, but has more recently been moved to the new family Cleomaceae. This is an erect, branching herb which forms a low, scrubby bush. It extends many dense racemes topped with densely-packed flowers. The flowers are mustard-yellow and bear plentiful thready stamens which form a cloud about the inflorescence. The distinctive fruit is a conjoined pair of hard, tan nutlets containing the seeds. The foliage of this plant is toxic, but it is utilized readily by honeybees, making it a good honey plant. "Wislizenia" is native to the southwestern United States and northern Mexico.

"Wislizenia refracta" appears in the movie Planet of the Apes (1968 film) by Franklin J. Schaffner: it is the first evidence of life found by the astronauts in the unknown planet.

External links

* [http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_JM_treatment.pl?2852,2869,2870 Jepson Manual Treatment]
* [http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=WIRE USDA Plants Profile]
* [http://calphotos.berkeley.edu/cgi/img_query?query_src=photos_index&where-taxon=Wislizenia+refracta Photo gallery]