Sphaerocoma Explained

Sphaerocoma is a monotypic genus of flowering plants belonging to the family Caryophyllaceae. The only species is Sphaerocoma hookeri.^[1]

Its native range is Egypt to Northeastern Tropical Africa (Sudan, Eritrea, and Somalia), Sinai Peninsula, Arabian Peninsula, southern Iran, and southwestern Pakistan.^[1]

Subspecies

Two subspecies are recognized:^[1]

• Sphaerocoma hookeri subsp. aucheri (Boiss.) Kool & Thulin – Arabian Peninsula, southern Iran, and southwestern Pakistan
• Sphaerocoma hookeri subsp. hookeri – Egypt, Eritrea, Sinai, Socotra, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen

Ecology

In the South Iran Nubo–Sindian desert and semi-desert ecoregion of southern Iran and southwestern Pakistan, Sphaerocoma hookeri subsp. aucheri in association with Euphorbia larica forms one of the ecoregion's typical plant communities.^[2]

Notes and References

1. Web site: Sphaerocoma T.Anderson Plants of the World Online Kew Science . Plants of the World Online . 12 February 2023 . en.
2. Takhtajan, A. L. (1986). Floristic Regions of the World. University of California Press, Berkeley. QK 101.T313 1986 ISBN 0-520-04027-9