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Snapdragons
''Antirrhinum'' is a genus of plants commonly known as dragon flowers, snapdragons and dog flower because of the flowers' fancied resemblance to the face of a dragon that opens and closes its mouth when laterally squeezed. They are native to rocky areas of Europe, the United States, Canada, and North Africa. It is widely used as an ornamental plant in borders and as a cut flower. Description The Antirrhinum is morphologically diverse, particularly the New World group (''Saerorhinum''). The genus is characterized by personate flowers with an inferior gibbous corolla. Taxonomy ''Antirrhinum'' used to be treated within the family Scrophulariaceae, but studies of DNA sequences have led to its inclusion in a vastly enlarged family Plantaginaceae, within the tribe Antirrhineae. Circumscription The taxonomy of this genus is complex and not yet fully resolved at present. In particular the exact circumscription of the genus, especially the inclusion of the New World species (Sae ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Antirrhineae
The Antirrhineae are one of the 12 tribes of the family Plantaginaceae. It contains the toadflax relatives, such as snapdragons. Description and uses Most Antirrhineae are herbaceous, short-lived, perennial or annual plants growing at most about a metre/yard tall when in full flower; the maximum height of most species is half as much or less. Some are prostrate or twining. The flowers are often conspicuous, tubular with a basal appendix (spur, gibbous, or saccate) containing nectaries, and may be of any color, though yellow and blue/purple hues are most common. Multicolored flowers are a common occurrence in this tribe; a typical pattern is one conspicuous whitish or bright yellow or reddish spot at the lower outer edge of the flower tube, looking like a protruding tongue. Other characters include poricidal dehiscent capsule fruit, and the possession of iridoid glycosides. The Antirrhineae are not noted as food- or fodder plants, probably due to the iridoid content making ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
