Dianthus deltoides

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Dianthus deltoides
Maiden Pink (Dianthus deltoides)
Maiden Pink (Dianthus deltoides)
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Magnoliophyta
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Caryophyllales
Family: Caryophyllaceae
Genus: Dianthus
Binomial name
Dianthus deltoides
L.

Dianthus deltoides (Maiden Pink) is a species of Dianthus native to most of Europe, and western Asia.[1][2][3]

It is a herbaceous perennial plant growing to 45 cm tall. It has very narrow green or glaucous leaves forming a loosely tufted plant. The flowers are 15–20 mm across, usually pink but may be white and are often spotted white. It has an epicalyx of bracteoles. The calyx tube itself is not scarious at the joints between the lobes. It is a plant of often calcareous grassland but may also be found on rocky ground and occasionally on old mine spoil.[3][4]

[edit] Cultivation and uses

It is widely used in horticulture with many cultivars sold as garden ornamental plants with flowers in a range of pink colours and sometimes darker green foliage.[4]

[edit] References

  1. ^ Den Virtuella Floran: Dianthus deltoides (in Swedish, with maps)
  2. ^ Flora Europaea: Dianthus deltoides
  3. ^ a b Blamey, M. & Grey-Wilson, C. (1989). Flora of Britain and Northern Europe. ISBN 0-340-40170-2
  4. ^ a b Huxley, A., ed. (1992). New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. Macmillan ISBN 0-333-47494-5.