Bonamia is a genus of flowering plants in the family Convolvulaceae, the bindweed or morning-glory family, placed in the order Solanales. The genus was described by the French botanist Aubert du Petit-Thouars and published in 1804–1805, and is named in honour of the French physician and botanist François Bonamy (1710–1786).
The genus comprises roughly 70 or more accepted species of herbs, subshrubs, and twining or trailing vines distributed across tropical and subtropical regions of the Americas, Africa, Asia, and the Pacific islands. Plants in Bonamia share the characteristic funnel- or trumpet-shaped flowers typical of the Convolvulaceae, and are sometimes called lady's nightcap. Three sections are recognised within the genus: sect. Bonamia, sect. Breweria, and sect. Trichantha; the type species is Bonamia alternifolia J.St.-Hil.
The genus is placed in tribe Cresseae within Convolvulaceae. The name Bonamia is also used for an unrelated genus of parasitic protists (Haplosporidia, kingdom Chromista) responsible for bonamiosis in oysters — the two groups share only the name and have no biological relationship.
Notable members include Bonamia grandiflora, a federally endangered vine endemic to scrub habitats in central Florida, and Bonamia menziesii, a sprawling perennial native to the Hawaiian Islands.
Etymology
The genus name Bonamia honours François Bonamy (1710–1786), a French physician and botanist. The name was given by Aubert du Petit-Thouars and published in 1804–1805 in Dict. Sci. Nat.
Distribution
Bonamia has a pantropical and subtropical distribution, with species recorded across the Americas (from the southern United States through Central and South America), Africa, Asia, and the Pacific islands including Hawaii. The genus counts over 80 infraspecific taxa in the GBIF backbone.
Taxonomy Notes
Bonamia Thouars (Convolvulaceae) is placed in tribe Cresseae and contains three recognised sections: sect. Bonamia, sect. Breweria, and sect. Trichantha. The type species is Bonamia alternifolia J.St.-Hil. The name Bonamia also applies independently to an unrelated protist genus (Haplosporidia) in kingdom Chromista; the two genera are entirely distinct.
