''Gnaphalium'' 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 nom ...

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 words ('container, vessel') and ('seed'), and refers to those plants t ...

s in the family

Asteraceae The family Asteraceae, alternatively Compositae, consists of over 32,000 known species of flowering plants in over 1,900 genera within the order Asterales. Commonly referred to as the aster, daisy, composite, or sunflower family, Compositae ...

, commonly called cudweeds. They are widespread and common in

temperate In geography, the temperate climates of Earth occur in the middle latitudes (23.5° to 66.5° N/S of Equator), which span between the tropics and the polar regions of Earth. These zones generally have wider temperature ranges throughout ...

regions, although some are found on tropical mountains or in the subtropical regions of the world. Cudweeds are important foodplants for

American painted lady The American painted lady or American lady (''Vanessa virginiensis'')caterpillar Caterpillars ( ) are the larval stage of members of the order Lepidoptera (the insect order comprising butterflies and moths). As with most common names, the application of the word is arbitrary, since the larvae of sawflies (suborder Sy ...

s. Additionally, they are widely used as an herbal treatment for rheumatic pain.

Species

Species in this genus include:Flann, C (ed) 2009+ Global Compositae Checklist search for ''Gnaphalium''
/ref> Flora Antarctica Plate CXIII

Formerly included

Numerous species have at one time been included in ''Gnaphalium'', but are now considered to belong to other genera: '' Achyrocline, Aliella,

Ammobium ''Ammobium'' is genus of perennial Asteraceae species described as a genus in 1824 by Robert Brown, with the type species being '' Ammobium alatum''. ''Ammobium'' is native to eastern Australia. ;Species *'' Ammobium alatum'' R.Br. - New Sou ...

Anaphalioides ''Anaphalioides'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Asteraceae described as a genus in 1950. They are native to New Zealand and New Guinea. ; Species * '' Anaphalioides alpina'' (Cockayne) D.Glenny - New Zealand * '' Anaphalioides be ...

, Anaphalis, Anaxeton,

Antennaria ''Antennaria'' is a genus of dioecious perennial herbs in the family Asteraceae, native to temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere, with a few species (''A. chilensis'', ''A. linearifolia'', ''A. sleumeri'') in temperate southern South Amer ...

, Argyrotegium, Belloa,

Berroa ''Berroa'' is a monotypic genus of flowering plants in the aster family, Asteraceae, containing the single species ''Berroa gnaphalioides''. It is native to South America ( Uruguay, southern Brazil, northeastern Argentina Argentina (), ...

, Blumea, Castroviejoa, Chevreulia, Chionolaena,

Chrysocephalum ''Chrysocephalum'', known by the common name everlastings for their long life as cut flowers, is a genus of flowering plants in the family Asteraceae. There are nine species, all of which were formerly classified under other genera (''Helichrysum ...

Dolichothrix ''Dolichothrix'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Asteraceae. There is only one known species, ''Dolichothrix ericoides'', endemic to the Cape Province region of South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Af ...

, Edmondia,

Euchiton ''Euchiton'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Asteraceae. They are native to Australasia and the Pacific. Some have been introduced far outside their native ranges. These are annual and perennial herbs. Some have rhizomes, and most ...

, Ewartia, Facelis, Filago, Galeomma,

Gamochaeta ''Gamochaeta'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Asteraceae. There has not always been agreement among botanists regarding its status as a recognized genus, but it has become more accepted in recent years.Nesom, G. L. 1990. The taxono ...

, Gnomophalium,

Helichrysum The genus ''Helichrysum'' consists of an estimated 600 species of flowering plants in the sunflower family (Asteraceae). The type species is '' Helichrysum orientale''. They often go by the names everlasting, immortelle, and strawflower. The nam ...

, Ifloga, Laphangium, Lasiopogon, Leontonyx,

Leontopodium ''Leontopodium'' is a genus of plants in the family Asteraceae. The genus is native to Europe and Asia. The fuzzy and somewhat stocky "petals" (technically, bracts) could be thought of as somewhat resembling lions' paws—hence the genus n ...

, Leucogenes, Logfia, Lucilia, Luciliocline, Metalasia, Micropsis, Neojeffreya,

Novenia ''Novenia'' is a genus of flowering plants in the tribe Astereae within the family Asteraceae. It is monotypic, being represented by the single species ''Novenia tunariensis'', which is native to Argentina (Salta Province, Salta) and Peru (Lima P ...

, Ozothamnus, Pentzia, Petalacte,

Phagnalon ''Phagnalon'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Asteraceae native to Europe, Asia, and North Africa North Africa, or Northern Africa is a region encompassing the northern portion of the African continent. There is no singularly ...

, Pilosella, Plecostachys, Pseudognaphalium, Pterocaulon, Rhodanthe,

Raoulia ''Raoulia'' is a genus of New Zealand plants in the tribe Gnaphalieae within the family Asteraceae. Many ''Raoulia'' species grow in alpine areas, forming very fine and dense growths. These compact growths form large amorphous cushion-like mas ...

Schizogyne ''Schizogyne'' is a plant genus in the tribe Inuleae within the family Asteraceae. It was established in 1828 by French botanist Alexandre de Cassini. ; Species * '' Schizogyne glaberrima'' DC. - Canary Islands (Tenerife + Gran Canaria) * '' Sch ...

Staehelina ''Staehelina'' is a genus of flowering plants in the tribe Cardueae within the family Asteraceae. Species *'' Staehelina dubia'' L. - western Mediterranean *'' Staehelina petiolata'' ( L.) Hilliard & B.L.Burtt - Crete + Karpathos Island *'' S ...

Stuckertiella ''Stuckertiella'' is a genus of South American flowering plants in the daisy family The family Asteraceae, alternatively Compositae, consists of over 32,000 known species of flowering plants in over 1,900 genera within the order Asterales. ...

, Syncarpha, Troglophyton, Vellereophyton, Xerochrysum''

Secondary metabolites

''Gnaphalium'' species are known to contain

flavonoids Flavonoids (or bioflavonoids; from the Latin word ''flavus'', meaning yellow, their color in nature) are a class of polyphenolic secondary metabolites found in plants, and thus commonly consumed in the diets of humans. Chemically, flavonoids ...

and

diterpenes Diterpenes are a class of chemical compounds composed of four isoprene units, often with the molecular formula C20H32. They are biosynthesized by plants, animals and fungi via the HMG-CoA reductase pathway, with geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate bei ...

. Recently, two unique caffeoyl-D-glucaric acid derivatives, leontopodic acid and leontopodic acid B formerly only known from ''

Leontopodium alpinum ''Leontopodium nivale'', commonly called edelweiss (german: Alpen-Edelweiß, English pronunciation ), is a mountain flower belonging to the daisy or sunflower family Asteraceae. The plant prefers rocky limestone places at about altitude. It is ...

'' (L.) Cass. were detected in various species of ''Gnaphalium'' together with similar formerly unknown compounds.

References

External links

* *
Jepson Manual Treatment

United States Department of Agriculture PLANTS Profile for ''Gnaphalium''
{{Taxonbar, from=Q41552 Asteraceae genera