Condalia

Condalia is a genus of spiny shrubs in the tribe Rhamneae of the buckthorn family, Rhamnaceae. It was named for Antonio Condal, an 18th Spanish physician. Members of the genus are native to tropical and subtropical deserts and xeric shrublands in North and South America. The ranges of each species vary considerably; some are confined to only a few square miles, while others can be found on an area up to 1,000 sq mi (2,600 km²).

Common names

Condalia species are often commonly referred to as Bluewood, Purple Haw, Logwood, or Snakewood in English. Southern hemisphere species are of Spanish or Amerindian origin as in "piquillín" or "yuna". Though prevalent, snakewood is a broad name and should not be used to establish the identity of any particular species.

Taxonomy

Research performed on the members of Condalia usually concerns only the species native to North or South America; taxonomy is determined for only one group of species. As a result, a consensus has not been reached regarding the composition of the genus.