Catananche Explained

Catananche is a genus of flowering plants in the family Asteraceae.^{[1] [2]} It is native to dry meadows in the Mediterranean region.^[3]

They are cultivated for their cornflower-like blooms appearing in summer, in shades of blue, yellow and white. They are suitable for a sunny border, and for dried flower arrangements.^[4]

Species

• Catananche arenaria Coss. & Durieu - Libya, Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco, Western Sahara, Mauritania
• Catananche caerulea L. - Spain, Portugal, France, Italy, Libya, Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco
• Catananche caespitosa Desf. - Algeria, Morocco
• Catananche lutea L. - Spain, Portugal, France, Italy, Greece, Macedonia, Turkey, Cyprus, Syria, Lebanon, Palestine, Libya, Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco
• Catananche montana Coss. & Durieu - Algeria, Morocco

Phylogeny

According to recent genetic analyses, the genus Catananche is related to the genera Hymenonema, Scolymus and Gundelia. This results in the following relationship tree.

References

• Book: Pink, A. . Gardening for the Million. 2004 . Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation.

Notes and References

1. https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/358833#page/254/mode/1up Linnaeus, Carl von. 1753. Species Plantarum 2: 812-813
2. http://www.tropicos.org/Name/40002624 Tropicos, Catananche L.
3. http://luirig.altervista.org/flora/taxa/floraspecie.php?genere=Catananche Altervista Flora Italiana, genere Catananche
4. Book: RHS A-Z encyclopedia of garden plants. 2008. Dorling Kindersley. United Kingdom. 978-1405332965. 1136.