Gnaphalium Explained

Gnaphalium is a genus of flowering plants in the family Asteraceae,^[1] commonly called cudweeds or (formerly) chafeweeds. They are widespread and common in temperate regions, although some are found on tropical mountains or in the subtropical regions of the world.

Species

, Plants of the World Online accepted the following species:^[2]

• Gnaphalium austroafricanum Hilliard
• Gnaphalium capense Hilliard
• Gnaphalium chiliastrum (Mattf.) P.Royen
• Gnaphalium chimborazense Hieron.
• Gnaphalium clemensiae Mattf.
• Gnaphalium confine Harv.
• Gnaphalium declinatum L.f.
• Gnaphalium demidium (O.Hoffm.) Hilliard & B.L.Burtt
• Gnaphalium diamantinense Paul G.Wilson
• Gnaphalium diminutivum Phil.
• Gnaphalium englerianum (O.Hoffm.) Hilliard & B.L.Burtt
• Gnaphalium exilifolium A.Nelson
• Gnaphalium filagopsis Hilliard & B.L.Burtt
• Gnaphalium flavocephalum G.L.Nesom
• Gnaphalium genevoisi Emb.
• Gnaphalium gnaphalodes (DC.) Hilliard & B.L.Burtt
• Gnaphalium griquense Hilliard & B.L.Burtt
• Gnaphalium heleios P.Royen
• Gnaphalium indutum Hook.f.
• Gnaphalium limicola Hilliard
• Gnaphalium lycopodium Pers.
• Gnaphalium maclovianum Gand.
• Gnaphalium magellanicum Sch.Bip.
• Gnaphalium nelsonii Burtt Davy
• Gnaphalium palustre Nutt.
• Gnaphalium pauciflorum DC.
• Gnaphalium peguense R.Kr.Singh
• Gnaphalium phaeolepis Phil.
• Gnaphalium pilulare Wahlenb.
• Gnaphalium polycaulon Pers.
• Gnaphalium pseudohelichrysum Reiche
• Gnaphalium puberulum DC.
• Gnaphalium rossicum Kirp.
• Gnaphalium rosulatum S.Moore
• Gnaphalium sepositum Benoist
• Gnaphalium simii (Bolus) Hilliard & B.L.Burtt
• Gnaphalium stewartii C.B.Clarke ex Hook.f.
• Gnaphalium uliginosum L.
• Gnaphalium unionis Sch.Bip. ex Hochst.

Some former species

• Gnaphalium dysodes → Pseudognaphalium dysodes
• Gnaphalium ecuadorense → Pseudognaphalium cheiranthifolium
• Gnaphalium norvegicum → Omalotheca norvegica
• Gnaphalium sylvaticum → Omalotheca sylvatica

Formerly included

Numerous species have at one time been included in Gnaphalium, but are now considered to belong to other genera: Achyrocline, Aliella, Ammobium, Anaphalioides, Anaphalis, Anaxeton, Antennaria, Argyrotegium, Belloa, Berroa, Blumea, Castroviejoa, Chevreulia, Chionolaena, Chrysocephalum, Dolichothrix, Edmondia, Euchiton, Ewartia, Facelis, Filago, Galeomma, Gamochaeta, Gnomophalium, Helichrysum, Ifloga, Laphangium, Lasiopogon, Leontonyx, Leontopodium, Leucogenes, Logfia, Lucilia, Luciliocline, Metalasia, Micropsis, Neojeffreya, Novenia, Ozothamnus, Pentzia, Petalacte, Phagnalon, Pilosella, Plecostachys, Pseudognaphalium, Pterocaulon, Rhodanthe, Raoulia, Schizogyne, Staehelina, Stuckertiella, Syncarpha, Troglophyton, Vellereophyton, Xerochrysum

Secondary metabolites

Gnaphalium species are known to contain flavonoids and diterpenes. Recently, two unique caffeoyl-D-glucaric acid derivatives, leontopodic acid and leontopodic acid B formerly only known from Leontopodium alpinum (L.) Cass. were detected in various species of Gnaphalium together with similar formerly unknown compounds.^[3]

External links

• • • Jepson Manual Treatment
• United States Department of Agriculture PLANTS Profile for Gnaphalium

Notes and References

1. https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/358871#page/292/mode/1up Linnaeus, Carl von. 1753. Species Plantarum 2: 850-857
2. Web site: Gnaphalium L.. . Plants of the World Online . Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. 2023-04-20 .
3. July 2012 . Cicek, S . Untersulzner, C . Schwaiger, S . Zidorn, C . Caffeoyl-D-glucaric acid derivatives in the genus Gnaphalium (Asteraceae: Gnaphalieae) . 6 . 3 . 311–315 . 1307-6167 . Records of Natural Products (Gebze-Kocaeli, Türkiye) . Free full text .