Saponaria

Saponaria
Saponaria
Saponaria ocymoides
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Eudicots
(unranked): Core eudicots
Order: Caryophyllales
Family: Caryophyllaceae
Genus: Saponaria
L.
Species

About 20 species, including:
Saponaria bellidifolia
Saponaria caespitosa
Saponaria calabrica
Saponaria lutea
Saponaria ocymoides: Rock Soapwort
Saponaria officinalis
Saponaria pumila
Saponaria sicula

Saponaria, also known as soapworts, is a genus of about 20 species of perennial herbs in the Caryophyllaceae, native to southern Europe and southwest Asia. The most familiar species in Europe is the Common Soapwort (S. officinalis), locally simply known as "the Soapwort". They grow to a height of 10-60 cm, with opposite leaves 1-6 cm long. The flowers are produced in tight clusters on the stem, 4-25 mm diameter, with five white, yellow, pink, or pale purple petals.

The genus is closely related to Lychnis and Silene, being distinguished from these by having only two (not three or five) styles in the flower.

Saponaria species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including the Lychnis and Coleophora saponariella (which feeds exclusively on Saponaria spp).

Cultivation and uses

Soapworts are cultivated for their attractive flowers; they grow freely in any soil and under most conditions. The crushed leaves or roots of S. officinalis have been used as a soap since the Renaissance. Museum conservators still use the soap made from its leaves and roots for cleaning delicate fabrics and it also makes a fine shampoo. Soapworts are also used in the food industry, especially in the making of halva (a sweet made using tahini and sugar or honey).


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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Saponaria — Saltar a navegación, búsqueda ? Saponaria Saponaria ocymoides Clasificación cient …   Wikipedia Español

  • saponaria — SAPONÁRIA s.f. Plantă cu flori roz, care conţine saponină şi care în contact cu apa face spumă. [pron. ri a, var. (după alte surse) saponarie. / < lat. saponaria, cf. fr. saponaire]. Trimis de LauraGellner, 13.09.2007. Sursa: DN  SAPONÁRIA s …   Dicționar Român

  • saponaria — planta del género de las Caryophyllaceae cuyo rizoma se emplea en la industria farmaceútica para preparar gotas y jarabes expectorantes dibujo de herbario [véase http://www.iqb.es/diccio/s/sa.htm#saponaria] monografía [véase… …   Diccionario médico

  • saponaria — (Del lat. saponarĭa, jabonosa). f. jabonera (ǁ planta cariofilácea con tallos erguidos) …   Diccionario de la lengua española

  • Saponarĭa — (S. L.), 1) Pflanzengattung aus der Familie der Caryophylleae Lychnideae, 10. Kl. 2. Ordn. L.; Art: S. officinalis (Seifenkraut), häufig an Hecken, Flußufern, mit rispenständigen, zierlichen, weißen od. röthlichen Blumen; die Wurzeln derselben… …   Pierer's Universal-Lexikon

  • Saponarĭa — L. (Seifenkraut), Gattung der Karyophyllazeen, einjährige oder ausdauernde Kräuter mit gegenständigen, ganzrandigen Blättern, ansehnlichen Blüten und einfächerigen, vielsamigen Kapseln, im Habitus bald an Gypsophila, bald an Silene erinnernd.… …   Meyers Großes Konversations-Lexikon

  • Saponaria — Saponarĭa L., Seifenkraut, Pflanzengattg. der Karyophyllazeen, Kräuter Südeuropas. S. officinālis L. (Seifenwurzel, Seifenwurz), an Flußufern etc. wild, auch gefüllt kultiviert; der Wurzelstock war früher gegen Verschleimungen offizinell und wird …   Kleines Konversations-Lexikon

  • Saponaria —   [zu lateinisch sapo »Seife«], die Pflanzengattung Seifenkraut.   …   Universal-Lexikon

  • saponária — s. f. [Botânica] Gênero de diantáceas cuja haste e raiz tornam a água saponácea, e que também é conhecida por erva saboeira …   Dicionário da Língua Portuguesa

  • Saponaria — Saponaria …   Wikipédia en Français

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