Leontodon

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Leontodon
Nordschitz-Leontodon hispidus.tif
Leontodon hispidus L.
Leontodon hispidus - kare seanupp.jpg
Seed-head of Leontodon hispidus
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Asterales
Family: Asteraceae
Subfamily: Cichorioideae
Tribe: Cichorieae
Subtribe: Hypochaeridinae
Genus: Leontodon
L.
Synonyms [1]
List
  • AntodonNeck.
  • ApargiaScop.
  • AsterothrixCass.
  • BohadschiaF.W.Schmidt
  • ColobiumRoth
  • Dens-leonisSég.
  • MicroderisDC.
  • PlanciaNeck.
  • StreckeraSch.Bip.
  • ThrinciaRoth.
  • ThrixaDulac
  • VireaAdans.

Leontodon is a genus of plants in the tribe Cichorieae within the family Asteraceae, commonly known as hawkbits.

Contents

Their English name derives from the mediaeval belief that hawks ate the plant to improve their eyesight. Although originally only native to Eurasia and North Africa, some species have since become established in other countries, including the United States [2] and New Zealand. [3]

Recent research has shown that the genus Leontodon in the traditional delimitation is polyphyletic. Therefore, the former Leontodon subgenus Oporinia was raised to generic level. [4] According to the nomenclatural rules the name Scorzoneroides has priority at generic level and therefore, the members of Leontodon subgenus Oporinia were transferred to the re-erected genus Scorzoneroides. [5]

Ecology

Seeds of Leontodon species are an important food source for certain bird species. [6]

Uses

In Crete, the roots of the species Leontodon tuberosus are eaten raw and its leaves are eaten steamed. [7]

Secondary metabolites

The genus Leontodon s.str. (i.e. excluding the members of the resurrected genus Scorzoneroides) is a rich source of hypocretenolides, unique guaiane type sesquiterpene lactones with a 12,5-lactone ring instead of the usual 12,6 lactone ring. [8]

Phenolics found in Leontodon species include luteolin type flavonoids and caffeoyl quinic acid derivatives such as chlorogenic acid and 3,5-dicaffeoylquinic acid. Moreover, Leontodon species contain the caffeoyl tartaric acid derivatives caffeoyl tartaric acid and cichoric acid. [9] [10]

Species

The following species are recognised in the genus Leontodon: [1]


Further reading

Related Research Articles

<i>Gundelia</i> Genus of flowering plants

Gundelia or tumble thistle is a low to high (20–100 cm) thistle-like perennial herbaceous plant with latex, spiny compound inflorescences, reminiscent of teasles and eryngos, that contain cream, yellow, greenish, pink, purple or redish-purple disk florets. It is assigned to the family Asteraceae. Flowers can be found from February to May. The stems of this plant dry-out when the seeds are ripe and break free from the underground root, and are then blown away like a tumbleweed, thus spreading the seeds effectively over large areas with little standing vegetation. This plant is native to the eastern Mediterranean and the Middle-East. Opinions differ about the number of species in Gundelia. Sometimes the genus is regarded monotypic, Gundelia tournefortii being a species with a large variability, but other authors distinguish up to nine species, differing in floret color and pubescence. Young stems are cooked and eaten in the Middle-East and are said to taste like a combination of artichoke and asparagus

<i>Scorzonera</i> Genus of flowering plants

Scorzonera is a genus of flowering plants in the tribe Cichorieae within the family Asteraceae.

<i>Gnaphalium</i> Genus of flowering plants

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

<i>Crepis</i> Genus of flowering plants in the family Asteraceae

Crepis, commonly known in some parts of the world as hawksbeard or hawk's-beard, is a genus of annual and perennial flowering plants of the family Asteraceae superficially resembling the dandelion, the most conspicuous difference being that Crepis usually has branching scapes with multiple heads. The genus name Crepis derives from the Greek krepis, meaning "slipper" or "sandal", possibly in reference to the shape of the fruit.

<i>Leontodon pyrenaicus</i> Species of flowering plant

Leontodon pyrenaicus is a species of hawkbit found in the Alps, Pyrenees, Cantabrian Mountains, northern Apennines and northern parts of the Balkan Peninsula. It grows in meadows and on stony slopes from the tree line to over 3000 m, usually on acidic soils. It is perennial, and flowers from June to August.

<i>Microseris</i> Genus of flowering plants in the family Asteraceae

Microseris is a genus of plants in the tribe Cichorieae within the family Asteraceae, plants that often called composites. They are native to North America, South America, Australia, and New Zealand.

<i>Cicerbita alpina</i> Species of flowering plant

Cicerbita alpina, commonly known as the alpine sow-thistle or alpine blue-sow-thistle is a perennial herbaceous species of plant sometimes placed in the genus Cicerbita of the family Asteraceae, and sometimes placed in the genus Lactuca as Lactuca alpina. It is native to upland and mountainous parts of Europe.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cichorieae</span> Tribe of flowering plants in the family Asteraceae

The Cichorieae are a tribe in the plant family Asteraceae that includes 93 genera, more than 1,600 sexually reproductive species and more than 7,000 apomictic species. They are found primarily in temperate regions of the Eastern Hemisphere. Cichorieae all have milky latex and flowerheads that only contain one type of floret. The genera Gundelia and Warionia only have disk florets, while all other genera only have ligulate florets. The genera that contain most species are Taraxacum with about 1,600 apomictic species, Hieracium with about 770 sexually reproducing and 5,200 apomictic species, and Pilosella with 110 sexually reproducing and 700 apomictic species. Well-known members include lettuce, chicory, dandelion, and salsify.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cichorioideae</span> Subfamily of plants

The Cichorioideae are a subfamily of the family Asteraceae of flowering plants. Familiar members of Cichorioideae include lettuce, dandelions, chicory and Gazania species. The subfamily comprises about 240 genera and about 2900 species. It is heterogeneous and hard to characterize except with molecular characters.

Lactuca orientalis is a Eurasian species of plant in the tribe Cichorieae within the family Asteraceae. It is widespread across the Middle East and southern Asia as far east as Tibet.

<i>Helminthotheca echioides</i> Species of flowering plant

Helminthotheca echioides, known as bristlyoxtongue, is a sprawling annual or biennial herb native to Europe and North Africa. It was originally placed within the genus Picris but is often separated within the small genus Helminthotheca alongside a few other plants which also have the distinctive outer row of bracts around the flowerheads. It is a ruderal plant, found on waste ground and agricultural soils around the world, and in some places it is considered a troublesome weed.

<i>Elephantopus</i> Genus of flowering plants

Elephantopus is a genus of perennial plants in the daisy family (Asteraceae).

<i>Tolpis</i>

Tolpis is a genus of flowering plants in the tribe Cichorieae within the family Asteraceae. It is native to Africa, Southern Europe, the Middle East and Macaronesia. Many species are limited to the Canary Islands.

<i>Rhagadiolus</i> Genus of plants

Rhagadiolus is a genus of plants in the tribe Cichorieae within the family Asteraceae, native to the Mediterranean region of southern Europe, northern Africa, and the Middle East.

<i>Scorzoneroides autumnalis</i> Species of flowering plant

Scorzoneroides autumnalis, commonly called autumn hawkbit, is a perennial plant species, widespread in its native range in Eurasia, and introduced in North America.

<i>Reichardia</i> Genus of plants

Reichardia is a genus of plants in the tribe Cichorieae within the family Asteraceae native to the Mediterranean and western Asia. In Crete, Greece the leaves and tender shoots of a variety of Reichardia picroides called galatsida (γαλατσίδα) are eaten raw, boiled, cooked in steam or browned with olive oil by the locals. Brighteyes is a common name for plants in this genus.

<i>Scorzoneroides</i> Genus of plants

Scorzoneroides or hawkbits is a genus of plants of the tribe Cichorieae within the family Asteraceae.

Garhadiolus is a genus of Asian plants in the tribe Cichorieae within the family Asteraceae.

Phitosia is a genus of Greek plants in the tribe Cichorieae within the family Asteraceae.

<i>Asteriscus aquaticus</i> Species of flowering plant

Asteriscus aquaticus is a species of flowering plant. The flower is part of the so-called "Asteriscus alliance".

References

  1. 1 2 "Leontodon L. | Plants of the World Online | Kew Science". Plants of the World Online. Retrieved 2023-11-14.
  2. "52. Leontodon Linnaeus", Flora of North America
  3. "LEONTODON L.", Flora of New Zealand
  4. Rosabelle Samuel; Walter Gutermann; Tod F. Stuessy; Claudete F. Ruas; Hans-Walter Lack; Karin Tremetsberger; Salvador Talavera; Barbara Hermanowski; Friedrich Ehrendorfer (2006), "Molecular phylogenetics reveals Leontodon (Asteraceae, Lactuceae) to be diphyletic", American Journal of Botany , 93 (8): 1193–1205, doi: 10.3732/ajb.93.8.1193 , PMID   21642184
  5. Greuter, W.; Gutermann, W. & Talavera, S. (2006), "A preliminary conspectus of Scorzoneroides (Compositae, Cichorieae) with validation of the required new names" (PDF), Willdenowia , 36 (2): 689–692, doi:10.3372/wi.36.36204, ISSN   0511-9618, S2CID   85657923, archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-03-06
  6. D. L. Buckingham; W. J. Peach (2005). "The influence of livestock management on habitat quality for farmland birds". Animal Science. 81 (2): 199–203. doi:10.1079/asc50700199.
  7. Kleonikos G. Stavridakis; Κλεόνικος Γ. Σταυριδάκης (2006). Wild edible plants of Crete - Η Άγρια βρώσιμη χλωρίδα της Κρήτης. Rethymnon Crete. ISBN   960-631-179-1.
  8. Zidorn, C. (2008). "Sesquiterpene lactones and their precursors as chemosystematic markers in the tribe Cichorieae of the Asteraceae". Phytochemistry. 69 (12): 2270–2296. Bibcode:2008PChem..69.2270Z. doi:10.1016/j.phytochem.2008.06.013. ISSN   0031-9422. PMID   18715600.
  9. Zidorn, C.; Stuppner, H. (2001). "Evaluation of chemosystematic characters in the genus Leontodon". Taxon. 50: 115–133. doi: 10.2307/1224515 . ISSN   0040-0262. JSTOR   1224515.
  10. Sareedenchai, V.; Zidorn, C. (2010). "Flavonoids as chemosystematic markers in the tribe Cichorieae of the Asteraceae". Biochemical Systematics and Ecology. 38 (5): 935–957. doi:10.1016/j.bse.2009.09.006. ISSN   0305-1978.