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Alyssum | |
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Alyssum montanum | |
Scientific classification ![]() | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Clade: | Rosids |
Order: | Brassicales |
Family: | Brassicaceae |
Genus: | Alyssum L. |
Synonyms [1] | |
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Alyssum is a genus of over a hundred species of flowering plants in the family Brassicaceae, native to temperate Europe, Asia, and northern Africa, [1] with the highest species diversity in the Mediterranean region. The genus comprises annual and perennial herbaceous plants or (rarely) small shrubs, growing to 10–100 cm tall, with oblong-oval leaves. Alyssum flowers are characteristically small and grouped in terminal clusters; [2] they are often yellow or white colored but can be pink or purple.
The genera Lobularia , Aurinia and Odontarrhena are closely related to Alyssum and were formerly included in it. The widely cultivated species popularly known as "sweet alyssum" (Alyssum maritimum) is Lobularia maritima . The common rockery plant (Alyssum saxatile) is Aurinia saxatilis .
Alyssum foliage is used as food by the caterpillars of certain Lepidoptera, including the Gem (Orthonama obstipata). However, rabbits will not eat it. [3]
The following is a list of accepted species. Unless noted otherwise, it follows AlyBase. [4] An asterisk indicates provisionally accepted names. Plants of the World Online accepts 115 species. [1] Species and synonyms accepted by PoWO but not by AlyBase are so noted.
The following names are listed by World Flora Online as accepted (as of the end of 2021), [5] but in AlyBase [4] have either been assigned to different genera (typically based on molecular phylogeny studies) or have been reduced to synonymy. A question mark indicates doubtful synonyms or species names with unresolved taxonomic status.