kids encyclopedia robot

Stevia (genus) facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
Quick facts for kids
Stevia (genus)
Stevia rebaudiana flowers.jpg
Stevia rebaudiana flowers
Scientific classification e
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Asterales
Family: Asteraceae
Supertribe: Helianthodae
Tribe: Eupatorieae
Genus: Stevia
Cav.
Species

About 240 species, including:

  • Stevia anisostemma
  • Stevia bertholdii
  • Stevia crenata
  • Stevia dianthoidea
  • Stevia enigmatica
  • Stevia eupatoria
  • Stevia lemmonii
  • Stevia micrantha
  • Stevia ovata
  • Stevia plummerae
  • Stevia rebaudiana
  • Stevia salicifolia
  • Stevia serrata
  • Stevia tunguraguensis
  • Stevia viscida
Synonyms
  • Nothites Cass.
  • Mustelia Spreng.

Stevia (/ˈstviə, ˈstɛviə/) is a genus of about 240 species of herbs and shrubs in the family Asteraceae, native to subtropical and tropical regions from western North America to South America.

The species Stevia rebaudiana is widely grown for the sweet compounds (steviol glycosides) extracted from its leaves, sold as a sugar substitute under the generic name stevia and several trade names.

Taxonomy

The genus Stevia consists of 240 species of plants native to South America, Central America, and Mexico, with several species found as far north as Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas. The genus was named for Spanish botanist and physician Petrus Jacobus Stevus (Pedro Jaime Esteve 1500–1556), a professor of botany at the University of Valencia. Human use of the sweet species S. rebaudiana originated in South America.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Stevia (género) para niños

kids search engine
Stevia (genus) Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.