Gypsophila

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Gypsophila

Gypsophila repens

Kingdom:	Plantae
Division:	Magnoliophyta
Class:	Magnoliopsida
Order:	Caryophyllales
Family:	Caryophyllaceae
Genus:	Gypsophila L.

Species

About 100 species; see text:

Gypsophila (Baby's-breath; Gypsophila ^[1] ) is a genus of about 100 species of flowering plants in the family Caryophyllaceae, native to Europe, Asia and north Africa. Many species are found on calcium-rich soils, including gypsum, whence the name of the genus. Some species are also sometimes called "baby's breath" or simply, "Gyp", among the floral industry. Its botanical name means "lover of chalk", which is accurate in describing the type of soil in which this plant grows.

They are herbaceous annual and perennial plants growing to 5-120 cm tall. The leaves are opposite, linear to narrow triangular, often falcate (sickle-shaped), 1-7 cm long and 2-8 mm broad. The flowers are produced in large inflorescences, which may be either dense or open and lax; each flower is small, 3-10 mm diameter, with five white or pink petals.

Selected species

Gypsophila acutifolia - Sharp-leaved Gypsophila
Gypsophila altissima
Gypsophila aretioides
Gypsophila arrostii
Gypsophila bicolor
Gypsophila bungeana - Bunge's Gypsophila
Gypsophila capituliflora
Gypsophila cephalotes
Gypsophila cerastioides
Gypsophila davurica
Gypsophila desertorum
Gypsophila elegans
Gypsophila fastigiata - Fastigiate Gypsophila
Gypsophila huashanensis
Gypsophila licentiana
Gypsophila muralis - Annual Gypsophila
Gypsophila nana - Dwarf Gypsophila
Gypsophila oldhamiana
Gypsophila pacifica
Gypsophila paniculata - Common Gypsophila
Gypsophila patrinii
Gypsophila perfoliata - Perfoliate Gypsophila
Gypsophila petraea
Gypsophila pilosa - Turkish Baby's Breath
Gypsophila rokejeka - Soap root^[2]
Gypsophila repens - Alpine Gypsophila
Gypsophila scorzonerifolia - Glandular Gypsophila
Gypsophila sericea
Gypsophila spinosa
Gypsophila tenuifolia
Gypsophila tschiliensis
Black Gypsophila Baby's Breath

[edit] Cultivation and uses

Gypsophilas are often grown as ornamental plants in gardens; they are grown both as garden plants and also valuable as a cut flower in floristry to add as a filler to flower bouquets. The most commonly encountered in gardens are G. paniculata (a perennial species), G. elegans, and G. muralis (both annual species). They are easily propagated from seed, by cuttings, or by root division before growth starts in the spring. Starting as a tiny seed, the annuals and perennials germinate in ten to fifteen days, and can grow rapidly up to 50 cm in height. While they prefer full sun, along with rich, light soil, deficiencies in poor soil constitution can be overcome by adding a general purpose fertilizer, as long as it is well drained.

Gypsophila paniculata has become an invasive species in parts of North America.

Gypsophila rokejeka is used to provide saponins in the production of halva^[2]

Gypsophila species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including three case-bearers of the genus Coleophora which feed on G. fastigiata: C. kyffhusana, C. niveistrigella (both of which feed exclusively on the plant) and C. vicinella.