Petrocosmea is a genus of the family Gesneriaceae, the African violet family. Most of the species within this genus are endemic to high-altitude areas in Western China, although some are native to other parts of Asia. It is a rosette forming genus that generally grows on wet mossy rocks or forests.
The genus was discovered in China by Augustine Henry and was first described in 1887 by Daniel Oliver (Prof. of Botany, University College, London).
Species
The genus contains around 25 species. The species listed below are taken from The Plant List , unless otherwise indicated.
Petrocosmea barbata Craib
Petrocosmea begoniifolia C.Y. Wu ex H.W. Li
Petrocosmea cavaleriei H. Lév. Petrocosmea coerulea C.Y. Wu ex W.T. Wang Petrocosmea confluens W.T. Wang Petrocosmea duclouxii Craib Petrocosmea flaccida Craib Petrocosmea forrestii Craib Petrocosmea funingensis Zhang, Pan, Meng, Li, Xu & Li Petrocosmea grandiflora Hemsl. Petrocosmea grandifolia W.T. Wang Petrocosmea iodioides Hemsl. Petrocosmea kerrii Craib (including Petrocosmea wardii W.W. Sm.) Petrocosmea longipedicellata W.T. Wang Petrocosmea mairei H. Lév. Petrocosmea martini (H. Lév.) H. Lév. Petrocosmea menglianensis H.W. Li Petrocosmea minor Hemsl. (syn. Petrocosmea henryi Craib) Petrocosmea nervosa Craib Petrocosmea oblata Craib (including Petrocosmea latisepala W.T. Wang) Petrocosmea qinlingensis W.T. Wang Petrocosmea rosettifolia C.Y. Wu ex H.W. Li Petrocosmea sericea C.Y. Wu ex H.W. Li Petrocosmea sichuanensis Chun ex W.T. Wang Petrocosmea sinensis Oliv.
A new species Petrocosmea cryptica was described in 2011, long known in cultivation but mistakenly identified as P. rosettifolia.
A further eight names were considered "unresolved"; they may be extra species or synonyms of existing species:
Petrocosmea condorensis Pellegr. Petrocosmea formosa B.L.Burtt Petrocosmea heterophylla B.L.Burtt Petrocosmea ionantha Baill. Petrocosmea kingii (C.B.Clarke) Chatterjee Petrocosmea parryorum C.E.C.Fisch. Petrocosmea umbelliformis B.L.Burtt Petrocosmea xingyiensis Y.G.Wei & F. Wen