Kingdom Plantae Scientific name Linaria Rank Genus | ||
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Lower classifications Linaria vulgaris, Linaria purpurea, Linaria maroccana, Linaria bipartita | ||
Linaria garden plants
Linaria is a genus of 150 species of herbaceous annuals and perennials and the largest genus in the Antirrhineae tribe of the plantain family Plantaginaceae.
Contents
- Linaria garden plants
- Purple toadflax linaria purpurea 2014 06 21
- Taxonomy
- Species
- Etymology
- Distribution and habitat
- Ecology
- Uses
- References
Purple toadflax linaria purpurea 2014 06 21
Taxonomy
Linaria was traditionally placed in the figwort family Scrophulariaceae. Phylogenetic analysis has now placed it in the vastly expanded family Plantaginaceae.
Closely related genera include the Nuttallanthus (American toadflaxes, recently split from Linaria), Antirrhinum (snapdragons) and Cymbalaria (Ivy-leaved toadflaxes).
Species
Some of the more familiar Linaria include:
Etymology
The members of this genus are known in English as toadflax, a name shared with several related genera. The scientific name Linaria means "resembling Linum" (flax), which the foliage of some species superficially resembles.
Distribution and habitat
The genus is native to temperate regions of Europe, northern Africa and Asia, with the highest species diversity in the Mediterranean region.
Ecology
Some Linaria are regarded as noxious weeds. They are likely toxic to livestock, but ruminants generally avoid them.
Uses
Toadflaxes are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species, including the Mouse Moth (Amphipyra tragopoginis) and the Common Buckeye (Junonia coenia). L. vulgaris has been used as a medicinal herb for the treatment of many illnesses and conditions, including cancer, hepatitis, hemorrhoids, scrofula, and scurvy. It has been used as an astringent, an emollient, and a laxative.