The genus Passerina is a group of birds in the Cardinal family Cardinalidae. Although not directly related to buntings in the family Emberizidae, they are sometimes known as the North American buntings.
The males show vivid colours in the breeding season; the plumage of females and immature birds is duller. These birds go through two molts in a year; the males are generally less colourful in winter. They have short tails and short slim legs. They have smaller bills than other Cardinalidae; they mainly eat seeds in winter and insects in summer.
According to Van Wyk and Gericke (2000) the name bakkerbos commemorates an era in the Cape when the officially licensed bakers used this plant to heat their ovens.
The plants used at that time were clearly Passerina filiformis subsp.
The vernacular name 'sparrow-wort' was suggested by Miller (1768) for all Passerina species, indicating P.
Thymelaea passerina closely resembles Polygonum species - however there is no ocrea (papery sheath at the nodes).
passerina is the only species in this genus, and it is the only herbaceous annual found in the Thymelaeaceae family.
: Thymelaea passerina, or spurge flax, is aggressive, it is very difficult to control, livestock will not graze this plant, and at this time the distribution is limited to Okanogan County.
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