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Vitex

Vitex
Vitex altissima L.f.jpg
Vitex altissima
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Eudicots
(unranked): Asterids
Order: Lamiales
Family: Lamiaceae
Subfamily: Viticoideae Briquet
Genus: Vitex
L.
Type species
Vitex agnus-castus
L.
Diversity
About 250 species
Synonyms
  • Macrostegia Nees
  • Neorapinia Moldenke
  • Mailelou Adans.
  • Limia Vand.
  • Allasia Lour.
  • Nephrandra Willd.
  • Tripinna Lour.
  • Chrysomallum Thouars
  • Tripinnaria Pers.
  • Pyrostoma G.Mey.
  • Wallrothia Roth 1821 not Spreng. 1815
  • Psilogyne DC
  • Casarettoa Walp.
  • Rapinia Montrouz.
  • Agnus-castus Tourn. ex Carrière
  • Varengevillea Baill
  • Pistaciovitex Kuntze
  • Viticipremna H.J.Lam
  • Tsoongia Merr.
  • Paravitex H.R.Fletcher

Vitex /ˈvtɛks/ is a genus of flowering plants in the family Lamiaceae. It has about 250 species. Common names include "chastetree", traditionally referring to V. agnus-castus but often applied to other species as well.

Species of Vitex are native throughout the tropics and subtropics, with a few species in temperate Eurasia.

About 18 species are known in cultivation. Vitex agnus-castus and Vitex negundo are often grown in temperate climates. About six others are frequently grown in the tropics. Most of the cultivated species serve as ornamentals. Some provide valuable lumber. The flexible limbs of some species are used in basket weaving. Some of the aromatic species are used medicinally or to repel mosquitos.

The genus Vitex was named by Linnaeus in Species Plantarum in 1753.Vitex was the name used by Pliny the Elder for Vitex agnus-castus. It is derived from the Latin vieo, meaning to weave or to tie up, a reference to the use of Vitex agnus-castus in basketry.


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Wikipedia

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