Craterostigma Hochst. is a genus of flowering plants in the family Linderniaceae (order Lamiales), first published by Hochstetter in 1841 in the journal Flora (24: 668). The genus comprises around two dozen accepted species (26 descendant taxa per the GBIF backbone) of small, shrub-like herbs distributed across Africa, Madagascar, the island of Socotra, the Arabian Peninsula, the Indian Subcontinent, Sri Lanka, China, Southeast Asia and Java — a wide range spanning seasonally dry tropical and subtropical habitats.
The genus name derives from the Greek krateros ("cup-shaped") and stigma (the pollen-receiving part of the flower's female reproductive structure), a reference to the shape of the stigma.
Craterostigma's best-known member is Craterostigma plantagineum, a so-called "resurrection plant" celebrated for its extreme desiccation tolerance: it can lose almost all of its cellular water during drought and revive within hours of rehydration, a trait that has made it a longstanding model species in plant physiology research on drought and stress tolerance.
Taxonomically, Craterostigma sits within Linderniaceae, a family split out from the traditional Scrophulariaceae. A 2013 molecular phylogenetic study of the family (Fischer et al., Willdenowia 43) resolved relationships among Linderniaceae genera, erected the new genus Linderniella, and produced new combinations across several genera including Craterostigma, Lindernia, Bonnaya, Micranthemum, Torenia and Vandellia — which is why a large share of Craterostigma's currently accepted species carry the combination authorship "Eb.Fisch., Schäferh. & Kai Müll."
Etymology
The genus name comes from the Greek krateros ("cup-shaped") and stigma (the flower's female pollen-receiving structure), referring to the shape of the stigma.
Distribution
Craterostigma occurs across Africa, Madagascar, Socotra, the Arabian Peninsula, the Indian Subcontinent, Sri Lanka, China, Southeast Asia and Java.
Ecology
The genus's best-studied species, Craterostigma plantagineum, is a "resurrection plant" with unique drought (desiccation) tolerance, able to survive near-total water loss and recover after rehydration.
Taxonomy Notes
Craterostigma belongs to Linderniaceae (order Lamiales). A 2013 molecular phylogenetic revision of the family (Fischer et al., Willdenowia 43) reassessed genus boundaries and produced numerous new species combinations within Craterostigma alongside related genera Lindernia, Bonnaya, Micranthemum, Torenia and Vandellia, and established the new genus Linderniella.
