''Saponaria'' is a

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below family. In binomial no ...

flowering plant Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (), commonly called angiosperms. The term "angiosperm" is derived from the Greek language, Greek words ('container, vessel') and ('seed'), and refers to ...

s in the

family Family (from la, familia) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its members and of society. Ideal ...

Caryophyllaceae Caryophyllaceae, commonly called the pink family or carnation family, is a family of flowering plants. It is included in the dicotyledon order Caryophyllales in the APG III system, alongside 33 other families, including Amaranthaceae, Cactaceae, ...

native Native may refer to: People * Jus soli, citizenship by right of birth * Indigenous peoples, peoples with a set of specific rights based on their historical ties to a particular territory ** Native Americans (disambiguation) In arts and entertai ...

to Asia and Europe, and are commonly known as soapworts. They are

herbaceous Herbaceous plants are vascular plants that have no persistent woody stems above ground. This broad category of plants includes many perennials, and nearly all annuals and biennials. Definitions of "herb" and "herbaceous" The fourth edition of ...

perennial A perennial plant or simply perennial is a plant that lives more than two years. The term ('' per-'' + '' -ennial'', "through the years") is often used to differentiate a plant from shorter-lived annuals and biennials. The term is also wid ...

s and annuals, some with woody bases. The flowers are abundant, five-petalled and usually in shades of pink or white. The genus is closely related to ''

Lychnis ''Silene'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Caryophyllaceae. Containing nearly 900 species, it is the largest genus in the family. Common names include campion and catchfly. Many ''Silene'' species are widely distributed, particula ...

'' and '' Silene'', being distinguished from these by having only two (not three or five) styles in the flower. It is also related to ''

Gypsophila ''Gypsophila'' () is a genus of flowering plants in the carnation family, Caryophyllaceae. They are native to Eurasia, Africa, Australia, and the Pacific Islands.calyx Calyx or calyce (plural "calyces"), from the Latin ''calix'' which itself comes from the Ancient Greek ''κάλυξ'' (''kálux'') meaning "husk" or "pod", may refer to: Biology * Calyx (anatomy), collective name for several cup-like structures ...

is cylindrical rather than bell-shaped. 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 An introduced species, alien species, exotic species, adventive species, immigrant species, foreign species, non-indigenous species, or non-native species is a species living outside its native distributional range, but which has arrived there ...

, often a

weed A weed is a plant considered undesirable in a particular situation, "a plant in the wrong place", or a plant growing where it is not wanted.Harlan, J. R., & deWet, J. M. (1965). Some thoughts about weeds. ''Economic botany'', ''19''(1), 16-24. ...

, and sometimes a cultivated

ornamental plant Ornamental plants or garden plants are plants that are primarily grown for their beauty but also for qualities such as scent or how they shape physical space. Many flowering plants and garden varieties tend to be specially bred cultivars that ...

. The genus name ''Saponaria'' derives from the Latin ''sapo'' ("soap") and -''aria'' ("pertaining to"), and at least one species, ''S. officinalis'', has been used to make

soap Soap is a salt of a fatty acid used in a variety of cleansing and lubricating products. In a domestic setting, soaps are surfactants usually used for washing, bathing, and other types of housekeeping. In industrial settings, soaps are used a ...

. It contains

saponin Saponins (Latin "sapon", soap + "-in", one of), also selectively referred to as triterpene glycosides, are bitter-tasting usually toxic plant-derived organic chemicals that have a foamy quality when agitated in water. They are widely distributed ...

s, and a liquid soap could be produced by soaking the leaves in water. This soap is still used to clean delicate antique tapestries. ''Saponaria'' species are eaten by the

larva A larva (; plural larvae ) is a distinct juvenile form many animals undergo before metamorphosis into adults. Animals with indirect development such as insects, amphibians, or cnidarians typically have a larval phase of their life cycle. ...

e of some butterflies and moths, including the

and '' Coleophora saponariella'', which is exclusive to the genus.

Diversity

There are thirty to forty species in the genus. Species include: *'' Saponaria bargyliana'' *'' Saponaria bellidifolia'' *'' Saponaria caespitosa'' *'' Saponaria calabrica'' – Adriatic soapwort *'' Saponaria jagelii'' *'' Saponaria karapinarensis'' *'' Saponaria kotschyi'' *'' Saponaria lutea'' *'' Saponaria ocymoides'' – rock soapwort, tumbling-Ted *'' Saponaria officinalis'' – bouncingbet, sweet Betty *'' Saponaria pamphylica'' *'' Saponaria pumila'' *'' Saponaria pumilio'' – pygmy pink *'' Saponaria sicula'' *'' Saponaria suffruticosa''

References

External links

''Saponaria''.
ITIS. {{Taxonbar, from=Q157500 Caryophyllaceae Caryophyllaceae genera Saponaceous plants Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus