Callisia is a genus of flowering plants in the spiderwort family, Commelinaceae. Members of the genus are commonly known as roselings. It is native to the Western Hemisphere from the southern United States to Argentina. The generic name is derived from the Greek word κάλλος (kallos), meaning "beauty."

Some members of Callisia may cause allergic reactions in pets (especially cats and dogs), characterised by red, itchy skin. Notable culprits are C. fragrans (inch plant) and C. repens (turtle vine).

Species

Callisia includes the following species:

• Callisia cordifolia (Sw.) E.S.Anderson & Woodson Florida Roseling – Central America, tropical Mexico, Cuba, Jamaica, Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Florida, Georgia

• Callisia filiformis (M.Martens & Galeotti) D.R.Hunt – central + southern Mexico, Central America, Lesser Antilles, Venezuela, northeastern Brazil

• Callisia fragrans (Lindl.) Woodson – Mexico; naturalized in Florida, Louisiana, Hawaii, West Indies, Morocco, Taiwan, Norfolk Island in Australia

• Callisia gentlei Matuda – southern Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras

• Callisia gracilis – Panama to Venezuela and western Bolivia

• Callisia graminea (Small) G.Tucker Grassleaf roseling – southeastern United States from Florida to Virginia

• Callisia hintoniorum B.L.Turner – Nuevo León

• Callisia insignis C.B.Clarke – Mexico; naturalized in Venezuela

• Callisia laui (D.R.Hunt) D.R.Hunt – Guerrero, Oaxaca

• Callisia micrantha (Torr.) D.R.Hunt Littleflower roseling – Texas, Tamaulipas

• Callisia monandra (Sw.) J.A.Schultes & J.H.Schultes Cojite morado – widespread from northern Mexico + West Indies to Argentina

• Callisia multiflora (M.Martens & Galeotti) Standl. – central + southern Mexico, Central America

• Callisia navicularis (Ortgies) D.R.Hunt – Nuevo León, Veracruz, Tamaulipas, Puebla, San Luis Potosí

• Callisia ornata (Small) G.Tucker Florida scrub roseling – Georgia, Florida

• Callisia repens (Jacq.) L. Creeping inchplant – scattered locales in southern United States (Riverside County in California, Texas, Louisiana, Florida); widespread from Mexico + West Indies south to Argentina

• Callisia rosea (Vent.) D.R.Hunt Piedmont roseling – southeastern United States from Alabama to Maryland

• Callisia soconuscensis Matuda – Guatemala, southern Mexico

• Callisia tehuantepecana Matuda – Oaxaca

• Callisia warszewicziana (Kunth & C.D.Bouché) D.R.Hunt – Veracruz, Chiapas, Guatemala

Formerly placed here

• Neodonnellia grandiflora (Donn.Sm.) Rose (as C. grandiflora Donn.Sm.)

References