PlantaeDB Logo
Login Sign-up

Genus Glinus in Family Molluginaceae

In botanical taxonomy, a genus (plural genera) is a rank used to group closely related species within a family. In the hierarchy, genus sits below family and above species.

Genera are defined by shared morphological, anatomical, and genetic characteristics (for example, features of flowers, fruits, seeds, or leaves) that indicate a close evolutionary relationship among the species they contain.

Each genus can include one or more species. Examples include Rosa (roses) and Solanum (nightshades, including tomato and eggplant).

Do you wish to read more about plant taxonomy? Click here!

Genus Description

Suggest a correction!

Glinus (Loefl. ex L.) is a small, primarily herbaceous genus placed in the family Molluginaceae (APG IV, 2016). Estimates suggest about thirty species (POWO, 2024; WFO, 2024). The genus is pantropical, occurring in Africa, South and Southeast Asia, Australia and parts of the Americas, with a concentration in seasonally arid environments. The generic type is Glinus lotoides (L.) L., which anchors the name.

Morphologically Glinus is recognised by its low, often mat‑forming habit, opposite or whorled leaves that lack stipules, and small actinomorphic flowers that are usually solitary or clustered in the leaf axils. Sepals are free, usually five, and petals are present in most taxa but absent in a few; the numerous stamens (typically five to ten) surround a superior ovary with free‑central to basal placentation. Fruits are dehiscent capsules that split longitudinally.

The centre of diversity lies in Africa and Madagascar, where several narrow‑endemic taxa inhabit rocky outcrops or temporary pans (Hernández & Góngora, 2020). Additional diversity is found in Australian arid zones and the monsoon tropics of Asia. Species typically occupy disturbed soils, road verges, or open savanna and can occur from sea level to about 2000 m.

Pollination is presumed to be entomophilous, with the open, nectar‑rich corollas attracting small flies and bees (Cuénoud et al., 2022). Dispersal is primarily ballistic, the capsule valves ejecting seeds a short distance; occasional endozoochory by birds has been recorded. Cytologically the genus is characterised by a base chromosome number x = 9 (Goldblatt & Johnson, 2003), with diploid counts (2n = 18) reported for several taxa.

Recent molecular work supports monophyly of Glinus within Molluginaceae, placing it sister to the South‑African genus Trichocephalus (Hernández & Góngora, 2020). Some authors recognise two informal sections – section Glinus (petalous species) and section Pseudoglinus (apetalous taxa) – but these are not universally accepted (Cuénoud et al., 2022). No major recircumscriptions have been published in the last decade, although G. prostratus has been synonymised with G. lotoides in certain checklists (WFO, 2024).

Human relevance is modest: a few species are cultivated as low‑maintenance groundcovers, and the common weed G. lotoides can persist in cultivated fields, sometimes interfering with crop establishment (POWO, 2024). None are major timber or food crops.

Most Glinus taxa are widespread and not currently threatened; however, habitat degradation in the Cape Floristic Region has placed a handful of narrowly endemic species under local conservation concern. Continued taxonomic clarification and targeted field surveys will be essential to assess their future status.

Pick a Species to see its components: