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Catalpa
Catalpa (catalpa, Indian bean tree) is a genus of about eight Bignoniaceae tree species native to China, eastern North America, and the Greater Antilles, grown for showy white flowers and long bean-like pods; southern catalpa C. bignonioides and hardier northern catalpa C. speciosa are the common ornamentals.
Catasetum
Catasetum (catasetum orchids) is a Neotropical orchid genus, tribe Cymbidieae, native from Mexico to Tropical America, with about 170-206 species of unisexual, sexually dimorphic flowers pollinated by euglossine bees via a catapult-like pollinarium ejection mechanism.
Catharanthus roseus
Catharanthus roseus (Madagascar periwinkle, formerly Vinca rosea), Apocynaceae ornamental native to Madagascar and sole natural source of anticancer alkaloids vinblastine and vincristine, made via strictosidine from tryptamine and secologanin.
Catkin
Catkin (ament): a slim, drooping spike of reduced, unisexual, petal-less flowers on trees such as willow, birch, oak, and hazel; wind-pollinated, a major spring allergen source, named from Dutch katteken (kitten) in 1578.
Catnip
Catnip (Nepeta cataria), a mint-family perennial herb, contains nepetalactone, which makes about 68% of domestic cats euphorically rub and roll and repels mosquitoes comparably to DEET.
Catopsis berteroniana
Catopsis berteroniana, the powdery strap airplant, is an epiphytic tank bromeliad from Florida to tropical America, protocarnivorous via waxy, UV-reflecting leaves that trap insects; endangered in Florida.
Cattleya
Cattleya (corsage orchid, queen of orchids) is a Neotropical orchid genus from Costa Rica to southern tropical America, with 136 accepted species, epiphytic pseudobulb growth, and a 2014 four-subgenera classification.
Cattleya labiata
Cattleya labiata, the crimson-lipped Brazilian orchid described by Lindley in 1824 and namesake of the genus Cattleya, a unifoliate autumn-flowering epiphyte endemic to Brazil, assessed Vulnerable, parent of about 12,000 hybrids.
Cattleya trianae
Cattleya trianae (flor de Mayo, Christmas orchid) is an epiphytic Colombian Andean orchid, the national flower of Colombia since 1936, endangered (EN D), on CITES Appendix I, with fragrant flowers up to 20 cm across.
Cauliflower
Cauliflower (Brassica oleracea var. botrytis) is a cool-season vegetable grown for its edible head, or curd; it originated on the eastern Mediterranean coast and reached Italy from Cyprus around 1490.
Cavatappi
Cavatappi (also sold as Cellentani, Barilla's trademark) is a short, ridged, hollow corkscrew-shaped pasta from Southern Italy, made without eggs, used in mac and cheese, baked casseroles, and pasta salads.
Cavendish banana
Cavendish banana: triploid AAA Musa acuminata dessert cultivar group dominating world trade, about 50 million tonnes yearly and 99% of exports. Replaced Gros Michel in the 1960s; now threatened by Panama disease TR4.
Cayenne pepper
Cayenne pepper is a moderately hot Capsicum annuum chili (30,000–50,000 SHU) with slender red pods, dried and ground into a red spice; native to the Americas, rich in vitamins A and C, and source of capsaicin used in topical pain relief.
Ceanothus
Ceanothus, known in gardens as California lilac or wild lilac, is a genus of about 55 to 60 North American shrubs with dense blue spring flowers.
Cedar oil
Cedar oil (cedarwood oil), essential oil steam-distilled from juniper and cypress wood, mainly Juniperus virginiana; fragrance, insect repellent, and minimum-risk pesticide rich in cedrol and cedrene.
Cedrela
Cedrela (Spanish cedar, Cedrela odorata) is a Neotropical Meliaceae tree genus, sister to Toona in tribe Cedreleae, native Mexico to Argentina, with aromatic timber, CITES Appendix II protection, and Hypsipyla grandella shoot-borer damage.
Cedrela odorata
Cedrela odorata (Spanish cedar, cigar-box cedar) is a Meliaceae timber tree native from Mexico to tropical America, valued for aromatic, insect-repelling wood; IUCN Vulnerable and CITES Appendix II.
Cedrus
Cedrus, commonly called the true cedars, is a genus of four evergreen coniferous tree species in the pine family, growing in the Mediterranean region and western Himalayas.
Cedrus atlantica
Cedrus atlantica, Atlas cedar (Arz atlassi), an endangered Pinaceae conifer endemic to Morocco's Atlas and Rif mountains and Algeria's Tell Atlas and Aurès, declining from drought, grazing, and pests; timber and essential-oil source.
Cedrus deodara
Cedrus deodara, the deodar or Himalayan cedar (devadāru), is a Pinaceae conifer native from NE Afghanistan to W Nepal, IUCN Least Concern, a major timber tree, and a key species in Himalayan climate and dendrochronology research.
Cedrus libani
Cedrus libani, the Cedar of Lebanon (أرز لبنان), a Vulnerable evergreen Pinaceae conifer native to southern Türkiye, Lebanon, and Syria, famed for durable ancient timber, montane refugia, and large Turkish reforestation programs.
Ceiba pentandra
Ceiba pentandra (kapok tree, silk cotton tree, 吉贝) is a Malvaceae tree up to 70 m, native from Mexico to tropical America, widely planted pantropically; source of kapok floss and light timber, IUCN Least Concern (2017).
Celastraceae
Celastraceae R.Br. (bittersweet family, spindle-tree family), order Celastrales: ca. 100 genera, 1,300 species of trees, shrubs, and lianas; includes Euonymus, Celastrus, Maytenus, Catha edulis; Hippocrateaceae and Parnassiaceae synonymized.
Celastrales
Celastrales, an order of rosid flowering plants with Celastraceae and Lepidobotryaceae, about 1,355 species in 94 genera, part of the unresolved COM clade with Oxalidales and Malpighiales.
Celeriac
Celeriac, or celery root (Apium graveolens var. rapaceum), is a celery variety grown for its swollen hypocotyl rather than stalks; needs six months, moist soil, and stores 6–8 months at 0–2 °C.
Celery
Celery (Apium graveolens), a Mediterranean-derived umbellifer vegetable grown for its stalks (var. dulce), leaves (secalinum), or root (rapaceum, celeriac); first recorded as food in France in 1623, stored at 0°C, and studied for blood pressure effects.
Celosia
Celosia, cockscomb or Lagos spinach (Celosia argentea), a genus of about 50 Amaranthaceae herbs native to tropical America, Africa, and Arabia, grown as a leafy vegetable (soko) and as ornamental cristata, plumosa, and spicata cut flowers.
Celtis
Celtis (hackberries, nettle trees) is a genus of about 70-80 tree and shrub species in Cannabaceae, formerly Ulmaceae, with 3-veined leaves and 1 cm drupes; type species Celtis australis, cosmopolitan range.
Celtis australis
Celtis australis, the southern nettle tree or European hackberry, is a deciduous Cannabaceae tree native from the Mediterranean to northern Iran, grown ornamentally and for erosion control, drought-tolerant, a weed in Australia.
Cenchrus
Cenchrus, a Poaceae grass genus (former Pennisetum species included), defined by spiny burs enclosing spikelets; 108 accepted species; includes pearl millet, buffel grass, and fountain grass.