A revision of the genus Oxytheca Nutt. (Polygonaceae)

The genusOxytheca of western North America and temperate South America consists of seven species which are keyed, described, discussed, illustrated, and mapped. They are divided among sect.Oxytheca, sect.Acanthoscyphus stat. & comb. nov., and sect.Neoxytheca sect. nov.Oxytheca dendroidea subsp.chilensis is given as a new combination, whileO. parishii var.cienegensis andO. parishii var.goodmaniana are described as new. The history and relationships of the genus are discussed. It is retained as distinct fromEriogonum and is thought to have arisen from the larger genus nearE. spergulinum, E. parishii, andE. apiculatum in subgenusGanysma. Cytological data indicatedn= 20.