Claim: The first known species of the genus Cordylanthus (family Orobanchaceae), the Cordylanthus rigidus, was first described in 1801 by the English plant taxonomist George Bentham.
Evidence: The first species known was Cordylanthus rigidus, which was described as Adenostegia rigida in 1836 by the well-known English plant taxonomist George Bentham.