Lechea

Lechea (pinweed) is a genus in the Cistaceae family of the Malvales order.^[1]

The genus Lechea is based primarily in eastern North America and contains about 18 species referred to as "pinweeds." Most are low-growing herbs with narrow leaves and may small flowers that resemble pinheads.^[2]

Linnaeus named the genus Lechea for Swedish botanist Johan Leche (1704-1764), who taught in Finland and is regarded as the father of Finnish meteorology and space research, based on his documentation of the northern lights and early measurements of air temperature in collaboration with Anders Celsius.^[3]

Species

Species of Lechea include:

• Lechea cernua
• Lechea deckertii
• Lechea divaricata
• Lechea intermedia
• Lechea lakelae
• Lechea maritima
• Lechea mensalis
• Lechea minor
• Lechea mucronata
• Lechea pulchella
• Lechea racemulosa
• Lechea san-sabeana
• Lechea sessiliflora
• Lechea stricta
• Lechea tenuifolia
• Lechea torreyi
• Lechea tripetala^[1]

References