Dischisma is a genus of flowering plants in the family Scrophulariaceae, within the order Lamiales. The genus was described by Jacques Denys Choisy in 1823 (published in Mémoires de la Société de Physique et d'Histoire Naturelle de Genève). GBIF's backbone taxonomy recognises 14 descendant taxa under the genus.
The genus is native to southern Africa, ranging from Namibia through the Cape Provinces of South Africa, where it grows as part of the Cape flora. According to the World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Dischisma has also become established as an introduced plant in Western Australia.
Only one species, Dischisma ciliatum, appears in this database's records, though Wikipedia's species list for the genus includes about a dozen accepted species (e.g. D. arenarium, D. capitatum, D. clandestinum, D. fruticosum, D. spicatum, D. squarrosum), indicating a genus of modest size restricted almost entirely to the southern African winter-rainfall region.
Distribution
Native to Namibia and the Cape Provinces of South Africa, part of the Cape flora region. The World Checklist of Vascular Plants also records the genus as introduced in Western Australia.
Taxonomy Notes
Dischisma Choisy (1823) is placed in the family Scrophulariaceae, order Lamiales, and is treated as a distinct accepted genus with 14 descendant taxa in GBIF's backbone taxonomy.
