Lomelosia caucasica explained

Lomelosia caucasica, the Caucasian pincushion flower, pincushion-flower or Caucasian scabious, is a species of flowering plant in the family Caprifoliaceae, native to the Caucasus, north eastern Turkey, and northern Iran. Growing to 60cm (20inches) tall and broad, it is a clump-forming perennial with grey-green, divided leaves. Pincushion-shaped buds, borne on erect hairy, stems, open to pale blue or lavender flower heads, 4- in diameter, from late summer through to autumn.[1]

It was formerly known as Scabiosa caucasica until 1985, when it became Lomelosia caucasica.[2] It is still listed in some sources as Scabiosa caucasica.[3]

Taxonomy

After a study of the family Dipsacaceae (by Verlaque 1983), the Scabioseae were then split into several genera, with S. caucasica placed in Lomelosia (Greuter 1985).[4] Further carpological (study of fruit and seeds) and palynological (dust study) studies (Mayer & Ehrendorf er 1999) have further confirmed this view, which has then been further substantiated by more recent data from molecular phylogenetics (Caputo & al. 2004;[5] Avino & al. 2009).[6] [2]

The GBIF,[7] and United States Department of Agriculture and the Agricultural Research Service, agreed to the name change.[8]

Ecology

The plant is highly attractive to bees and other pollinating insects.[9]

Cultivars

Numerous cultivars have been developed for garden use, in shades of red, purple, pink, blue and white. The cultivars of 'Clive Greaves',[10] (large, lavender blue),[3] and 'Miss Willmott',[11] (white with tall stems) have gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.[3] [12]

Other cultivars include:-

Other sources

Notes and References

  1. Book: RHS A-Z encyclopedia of garden plants. 2008. Dorling Kindersley. United Kingdom. 978-1405332965. 1136.
  2. Lack . H. Walter . The discovery and naming of Lomelosia caucasica (Dipsacaceae) with notes on its nomenclature and its early cultivation . Willdenowia . 17 July 2018 . 48 . 2 . 185–194 . 10.3372/wi.48.48202. 91252940 . free .
  3. James Cullen, Sabina G. Knees, H. Suzanne Cubey and J. M. H. Shaw (editors)
  4. Greuter W. & Raus Th. (ed.), Med-Checklist Notulae, 11. — Willdenowia 15: 61–84. 1985
  5. Caputo P., Cozzolino S. & Moretti A. 2004: Molecular phylogenetics of Dipsacaceae reveals [sic] parallel trends in seed dispersal syndromes. — Pl. Syst. Evol. 246: 163–175.
  6. Avino M., Tortoriello G. & Caputo P. 2009: A phylogenetic analysis of Dipsacaceae (Dipsacales) based on four DNA regions. — Pl. Syst. Evol. 279: 69–86.
  7. Web site: Lomelosia caucasica (M.Bieb.) Greuter & Burdet . www.gbif.org . 19 August 2022 . en.
  8. Web site: Lomelosia caucasica (M. Bieb.) Greuter & Burdet GRIN-Global . npgsweb.ars-grin.gov . 19 August 2022.
  9. Web site: Telegraph - how to grow - Scabiosa caucasica. Val. Bourne. 3 June 2013.
  10. Web site: RHS Plant Selector - Scabiosa caucasica 'Clive Greaves'. 5 March 2021.
  11. Web site: RHS Plant Selector - Scabiosa caucasica 'Miss Willmott'. 5 March 2021.
  12. Web site: AGM Plants - Ornamental . July 2017 . 95 . Royal Horticultural Society . 4 November 2018.

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Lomelosia caucasica".

Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is © Copyright 2009-2025, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. Cookie policy.