''Gnaphalium'' is a

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...

flowering plant Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (), commonly called angiosperms. The term "angiosperm" is derived from the Greek words ('container, vessel') and ('seed'), and refers to those plants th ...

s in the family

Asteraceae The family Asteraceae, alternatively Compositae, consists of over 32,000 known species of flowering plants in over 1,900 genera within the order Asterales. Commonly referred to as the aster, daisy, composite, or sunflower family, Compositae w ...

, commonly called cudweeds. They are widespread and common in

temperate In geography, the temperate climates of Earth occur in the middle latitudes (23.5° to 66.5° N/S of Equator), which span between the tropics and the polar regions of Earth. These zones generally have wider temperature ranges throughout t ...

regions, although some are found on tropical mountains or in the subtropical regions of the world. Cudweeds are important foodplants for

American painted lady The American painted lady or American lady (''Vanessa virginiensis'')caterpillar Caterpillars ( ) are the larval stage of members of the order Lepidoptera (the insect order comprising butterflies and moths). As with most common names, the application of the word is arbitrary, since the larvae of sawflies (suborder Sym ...

s. Additionally, they are widely used as an herbal treatment for rheumatic pain.

Species

Species in this genus include:Flann, C (ed) 2009+ Global Compositae Checklist search for ''Gnaphalium''
/ref> Flora Antarctica Plate CXIII

Formerly included

Numerous species have at one time been included in ''Gnaphalium'', but are now considered to belong to other genera: ''

Achyrocline ''Achyrocline'' is a genus of flowering plants in the Asteraceae described as a genus in 1838. It is native to Latin America and Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia in both cases. A ...

, Aliella,

Ammobium ''Ammobium'' is genus of perennial Asteraceae species described as a genus in 1824 by Robert Brown, with the type species being ''Ammobium alatum''. ''Ammobium'' is native to eastern Australia. ;Species *''Ammobium alatum'' R.Br. - New South ...

, Anaphalioides,

Anaphalis ''Anaphalis'' is a genus of herbaceous and woody flowering plants within the family Asteraceae, whose members are commonly known by the name pearl or pearly everlasting. There are around 110 species with the vast majority being native to central ...

, Anaxeton,

Antennaria ''Antennaria'' is a genus of dioecious perennial herbs in the family Asteraceae, native to temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere, with a few species (''A. chilensis'', ''A. linearifolia'', ''A. sleumeri'') in temperate southern South A ...

Argyrotegium ''Argyrotegium'' is a genus of plants in the family Asteraceae The family Asteraceae, alternatively Compositae, consists of over 32,000 known species of flowering plants in over 1,900 genera within the order Asterales. Commonly referred t ...

Belloa ''Belloa'' is a genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below ...

, Berroa,

Blumea ''Blumea'' is a genus of flowering plants of the family Asteraceae. Characteristics Genus ''Blumea'' is found in the tropical and sub-tropical zones of Asia, especially the Indian Subcontinent and Southeast Asia. A few species are found in Aust ...

Castroviejoa ''Castroviejoa'' is a genus of plants in the family Asteraceae, native to certain islands in the western Mediterranean. ; Species * '' Castroviejoa frigida'' (Labill.) Galbany, L.Sáez & Benedí - Corsica, Sardinia * '' Castroviejoa montelinasa ...

Chevreulia ''Chevreulia'' is a genus of plants in the family Asteraceae, described as a genus in 1817. The genus is native to South America (Brazil, Bolivia, Ecuador, Argentina) and the Falkland Islands.Cabrera, A. L. 1971. Compositae. 7: 1–451. In M.N. ...

, Chionolaena,

Chrysocephalum ''Chrysocephalum'', known by the common name everlastings for their long life as cut flowers, is a genus of flowering plants in the family Asteraceae. There are nine species, all of which were formerly classified under other genera (''Helichrysum ...

Dolichothrix ''Dolichothrix'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Asteraceae. There is only one known species, ''Dolichothrix ericoides'', endemic to the Cape Province region of South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Af ...

, Edmondia, Euchiton, Ewartia, Facelis,

Filago Filago (Bergamasque: ) is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Bergamo in the Italian region of Lombardy, located about northeast of Milan and about southwest of Bergamo. Filago borders the following municipalities: Bonate Sotto, ...

, Galeomma,

Gamochaeta ''Gamochaeta'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Asteraceae. There has not always been agreement among botanists regarding its status as a recognized genus, but it has become more accepted in recent years.Nesom, G. L. 1990. The taxonom ...

Gnomophalium ''Gnomophalium'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Asteraceae. ;Species There is only one known species, ''Gnomophalium pulvinatum'', native to Egypt, Sudan, Iran, the Indian Subcontinent, Afghanistan, and Tibet Tibet (; ' ...

Helichrysum The genus ''Helichrysum'' consists of an estimated 600 species of flowering plants in the sunflower family (Asteraceae). The type species is ''Helichrysum orientale''. They often go by the names everlasting, immortelle, and strawflower. The name ...

, Ifloga, Laphangium, Lasiopogon, Leontonyx,

Leontopodium ''Leontopodium'' is a genus of plants in the family Asteraceae. The genus is native to Europe and Asia. The fuzzy and somewhat stocky "petals" (technically, bracts) could be thought of as somewhat resembling lions' paws—hence the genus nam ...

Leucogenes ''Leucogenes'' is a genus of plants in the family Asteraceae, native to New Zealand. ; Species * '' Leucogenes grandiceps'' (Hook.f.) Beauverd - New Zealand * '' Leucogenes leontopodium'' (Hook.f.) Beauverd - New Zealand * '' Leucogenes neglec ...

, Logfia, Lucilia,

Luciliocline ''Luciliocline'' is a genus of flowering plants in the Gnaphalieae, pussy's-toes tribe with the Asteraceae, daisy family. ; Species References

Gnaphalieae Asteraceae genera Flora of Southern America {{Gnaphalieae-stub ...

Metalasia ''Metalasia'' is a genus of African flowering plants in the tribe Gnaphalieae within the family Asteraceae The family Asteraceae, alternatively Compositae, consists of over 32,000 known species of flowering plants in over 1,900 genera withi ...

, Micropsis,

Neojeffreya ''Neojeffreya'' is a genus of Malagasy flowering plants in the family Asteraceae. ;Species There is only one known species, ''Neojeffreya decurrens'', native to Madagascar Madagascar (; mg, Madagasikara, ), officially the Republic of M ...

, Novenia,

Ozothamnus ''Ozothamnus'' is a genus of plants found in Australia, New Zealand and New Caledonia. The following is a list of species' names accepted by the Australian Plant Census as at January 2020: *''Ozothamnus adnatus'' - winged everlasting *''Ozotha ...

, Pentzia,

Petalacte ''Petalacte'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Asteraceae. ;Species There is only one known species, ''Petalacte coronata'', endemic to the Cape Provinces of South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa ...

, Phagnalon,

Pilosella ''Pilosella'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Asteraceae. Some sources include it within the genus ''Hieracium''. Species , Plants of the World Online accepted the following species: *'' Pilosella abakurae'' *''Pilosella acutifol ...

Plecostachys ''Plecostachys'' is a genus of South African flowering plants in the family Asteraceae The family Asteraceae, alternatively Compositae, consists of over 32,000 known species of flowering plants in over 1,900 genera within the order Astera ...

Pseudognaphalium ''Pseudognaphalium'' is a genus of flowering plants in the sunflower family. Members of the genus are commonly known as cudweeds or rabbit tobacco ('' P. obtusifolium'' is the original species with that name). They are widespread in temperate ...

Pterocaulon ''Pterocaulon'' is a genus of flowering plants in the sunflower family, native to North and South America and to Australasia. Blackroot is a common name for species native to North America. The plants are perennial herbs, frequently densely cov ...

Rhodanthe ''Rhodanthe'', also known as sunray or pink paper daisy, is a genus of Australian plants in the tribe Gnaphalieae within the family Asteraceae. The name ''Rhodanthe'' is derived from Greek ''rhodon'', rose and ''anthos'', flower. Many ''Rhodan ...

Raoulia ''Raoulia'' is a genus of New Zealand plants in the tribe Gnaphalieae within the family Asteraceae. Many ''Raoulia'' species grow in alpine areas, forming very fine and dense growths. These compact growths form large amorphous cushion-like masse ...

Schizogyne ''Schizogyne'' is a plant genus in the tribe Inuleae within the family Asteraceae. It was established in 1828 by French botanist Alexandre de Cassini. ; Species * ''Schizogyne glaberrima'' DC. - Canary Islands (Tenerife + Gran Canaria) * ''Schizo ...

Staehelina ''Staehelina'' is a genus of flowering plants in the tribe Cardueae within the family Asteraceae. Species *'' Staehelina dubia'' L. - western Mediterranean *'' Staehelina petiolata'' ( L.) Hilliard & B.L.Burtt - Crete + Karpathos Island *'' S ...

Stuckertiella ''Stuckertiella'' is a genus of South American South America is a continent entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere at the northern tip of the ...

Syncarpha ''Syncarpha'' is a genus of herbaceous flowering plants in the family Asteraceae. The flowers are known by the common name: everlastings. The genus is endemic to the fynbos of the Eastern and Western Cape in South Africa. ; Species Species acc ...

, Troglophyton, Vellereophyton,

Xerochrysum ''Xerochrysum'' ( syn. ''Bracteantha'') is a genus of flowering plants native to Australia. It was defined by Russian botanist Nikolai Tzvelev in 1990, preceding (and taking precedence over) ''Bracteantha'' which was described the following year ...

Secondary metabolites

''Gnaphalium'' species are known to contain

flavonoids Flavonoids (or bioflavonoids; from the Latin word ''flavus'', meaning yellow, their color in nature) are a class of polyphenolic secondary metabolites found in plants, and thus commonly consumed in the diets of humans. Chemically, flavonoids ...

and

diterpenes Diterpenes are a class of chemical compounds composed of four isoprene units, often with the molecular formula C20H32. They are biosynthesized by plants, animals and fungi via the HMG-CoA reductase pathway, with geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate being ...

. Recently, two unique caffeoyl-D-glucaric acid derivatives, leontopodic acid and leontopodic acid B formerly only known from ''

Leontopodium alpinum ''Leontopodium nivale'', commonly called edelweiss (german: Alpen-Edelweiß, English pronunciation ), is a mountain flower belonging to the daisy or sunflower family Asteraceae. The plant prefers rocky limestone places at about altitude. It is ...

'' (L.) Cass. were detected in various species of ''Gnaphalium'' together with similar formerly unknown compounds.

References

External links

* *
Jepson Manual Treatment

United States Department of Agriculture PLANTS Profile for ''Gnaphalium''
{{Taxonbar, from=Q41552 Asteraceae genera