''Gnaphalium'' is a

genus Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...

flowering plant Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (). The term angiosperm is derived from the Ancient Greek, Greek words (; 'container, vessel') and (; 'seed'), meaning that the seeds are enclosed with ...

s in the family

Asteraceae Asteraceae () is a large family (biology), family of flowering plants that consists of over 32,000 known species in over 1,900 genera within the Order (biology), order Asterales. The number of species in Asteraceae is rivaled only by the Orchi ...

, commonly called cudweeds or (formerly) chafeweeds. They are widespread and common in

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

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

Species

Plants of the World Online Plants of the World Online (POWO) is an online taxonomic database published by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. History Following the Convention on Biological Diversity, the Royal Botanic Gardens in Kew launched Plants of the World Online i ...

accepted the following species: *'' 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 ''Pseudognaphalium cheiranthifolium'', synonyms including ''Gnaphalium cheiranthifolium'' and ''Gnaphalium ecuadorense'', is a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae. It is native to South America, from Colombia to southern Chile. ...

'' *''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 ''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) * '' S ...

, Staehelina, Stuckertiella, 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 terpenes 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 being a prima ...

. 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.

References

External links

* *
Jepson Manual Treatment
{{Taxonbar, from=Q41552 Asteraceae genera