Wikipedia

Saponaria

Saponaria is a genus of flowering plants in the family Caryophyllaceae, native to Asia and Europe, and are commonly known as soapworts.[2] They are herbaceous perennials and annuals, some with woody bases. The flowers are abundant, five-petalled and usually in shades of pink[3] or white.[2] The genus is closely related to the genus Silene, being distinguished from these by having only two (not three or five) styles in the flower.[3] It is also related to Gypsophila, but its calyx is cylindrical rather than bell-shaped.[4]

Saponaria
Saponaria ocymoides
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Order: Caryophyllales
Family: Caryophyllaceae
Genus: Saponaria
L. (1753)
Species

30-40, see text

Synonyms[1]
  • Bootia Neck. (1768), nom. illeg.
  • Pleioneura Rech.f. (1951)
  • Proteinia (Ser.) Rchb. (1841)
  • Smegmathamnium Fenzl ex Rchb. (1844)
  • Spanizium Griseb. (1843)

The most familiar species might be common soapwort (S. officinalis), which is native to Eurasia but is known in much of the world as an introduced species, often a weed, and sometimes a cultivated ornamental plant.[2] The genus name Saponaria derives from the Latin sapo ("soap") and -aria ("pertaining to"),[2] and at least one species, S. officinalis, has been used to make soap.[5] It contains saponins, and a liquid soap can be produced by soaking the leaves in water.[2] This soap is still used to clean delicate antique tapestries.[6] It is also sometimes stated that it is used as an emulsifier in Turkish delight confections, but this is a case of double confusion. The roots of plants in genus Gypsophila are used to make the Turkish confection helva and Saponaria species are not used.[7]

Saponaria species are eaten by the larvae of some butterflies and moths, including the Lychnis and Coleophora saponariella, which is exclusive to the genus.

Diversity edit

There are thirty[4][8] to forty[2][9][10] species in the genus.

Plants of the World Online accepts 39 species:[1]

References edit

  1. ^ a b "Saponaria L." Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 9 March 2024.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Thieret, John W.; Rabeler, Richard K. (2005). "Saponaria". In Flora of North America Editorial Committee (ed.). Flora of North America North of Mexico (FNA). Vol. 5. New York and Oxford: Oxford University Press – via eFloras.org, Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA.
  3. ^ a b RHS A–Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants. United Kingdom: Dorling Kindersley. 2008. ISBN 978-1405332965.
  4. ^ a b Ghazanfar, Shahina A.; Nasir, Yasin J. "Saponaria". Flora of Pakistan – via eFloras.org, Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA.
  5. ^ Coombes, A. J. (2012). The A to Z of Plant Names. USA: Timber Press. p. 265. ISBN 9781604691962.
  6. ^ Elliot, Doug (July 1995). Wild Roots: Forager's Guide to the Edible and Medicinal Roots, Tubers, Corms and Rhizomes of North America. ISBN 978-0892815388.
  7. ^ Işın, Priscilla Mary (2013). Sherbet & Spice : the complete story of Turkish sweets and desserts (1st ed.). New York: I.B. Tauris. pp. 128, 270. ISBN 978-1-84885-898-5. Retrieved 9 March 2024.
  8. ^ Lu, Dequan; Lidén, Magnus; Oxelman, Bengt. "Saponaria". Flora of China. Vol. 6 – via eFloras.org, Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA.
  9. ^ Jürgens, Andreas; Witt, Taina; Gottsberger, Gerhard (2003). "Flower scent composition in Dianthus and Saponaria species (Caryophyllaceae) and its relevance for pollination biology and taxonomy" (PDF). Biochemical Systematics and Ecology. 31 (4): 345–57. doi:10.1016/S0305-1978(02)00173-4.
  10. ^ Hartman, Ronald L.; Rabeler, Richard K. (2012). "Saponaria". In Jepson Flora Project (ed.). Jepson eFlora. The Jepson Herbarium, University of California, Berkeley.

External links edit

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