ABSTRACT
Linnaeus created the genus for these plants in 1753, although they had been discussed by Plukenet in 1696 and Catesby in 1731. Both Plukenet and Catesby called the trees Alnifolia americana floribus pentapetalis albis in spicam dispositis (The American alderleaved plant, bearing five-petaled white flowers in spikes). So, Linnaeus translated the name “alder” into Greek. There are now 64 species in the genus, most of them in tropical America, but also found in Asia to Malesia (Mabberley 1997).
