Cantua

{{Short description|Genus of flowering plants}}

{{for|the town in California|Cantua Creek, California}}

{{Automatic taxobox

|image = Cantua buxifolia Tiraque Bolivia.jpg

|image_caption = Cantua buxifolia

|taxon = Cantua

|authority = J.Juss. ex Lam.

}}

Cantua is a genus of flowering plants in the family Polemoniaceae which is in the order Ericales.

They are restricted to central South America where many species are endemics in the countries of occurrence.

There are currently about 12{{cite journal|author=Porter, J. Mark and L. Alan Prather|title=Cantua dendritica (Polemoniaceae), a new species from Peru, and two new Cantua names|journal=Aliso|publisher=Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden|year=2008|volume=25|pages=31–35|doi=10.5642/aliso.20082501.03 |url=http://www.rsabg.org/documents/research/mporter/Porter%26Prather2008.pdf|access-date=2010-12-14|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110927172342/http://www.rsabg.org/documents/research/mporter/Porter%26Prather2008.pdf|archive-date=2011-09-27|url-status=dead}} recognised species including:{{cite journal|author=Monfils, Anna K. and L. Alan Prather|title='Phylogeny of Cantua (Polemoniaceae): Evidence from Chloroplast and Nuclear DNA Sequence Data|journal= Systematic Botany|publisher=The American Society of Plant Taxonomists

|year=2010|volume=35|pages=877–884|url=http://www.bioone.org/doi/abs/10.1600/036364410X539925|doi=10.1600/036364410X539925|issue=4|url-access=subscription}}[http://www.plantsystematics.org/taxpage/0/genus/Cantua.html Plant Systematics - Cantua]

• Cantua bicolor Lem., native to Bolivia and Peru
• Cantua buxifolia Juss. ex Lam., native to Bolivia
• Cantua candelilla Brand
• Cantua cuzcoensis Infantes
• Cantua dendritica J.M.Porter & Prather
• Cantua flexuosa (Ruiz & Pav.) Pers.
• Cantua mediamnis J.M.Porter & Prather
• Cantua pyrifolia Juss. ex Lam.
• Cantua quercifolia Juss.
• Cantua volcanica J.M.Porter & Prather

Synonyms include:

• Huthia Brand
• Periphragmos Ruiz & Pav.
• Tunaria Kuntze