''Leontodon'' 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 family. In binomial nom ...

of plants in the tribe

Cichorieae The Cichorieae (also called Lactuceae) are a tribe in the plant family Asteraceae that includes 93 genera, more than 1,600 sexually reproductive species and more than 7,000 apomictic species. They are found primarily in temperate regions of the E ...

within 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 known as hawkbits. Their

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

name derives from the mediaeval belief that hawks ate the plant to improve their eyesight. Although originally only native to

Eurasia Eurasia (, ) is the largest continental area on Earth, comprising all of Europe and Asia. Primarily in the Northern and Eastern Hemispheres, it spans from the British Isles and the Iberian Peninsula in the west to the Japanese archipelago ...

and

North Africa North Africa, or Northern Africa is a region encompassing the northern portion of the African continent. There is no singularly accepted scope for the region, and it is sometimes defined as stretching from the Atlantic shores of Mauritania in ...

, some species have since become established in other countries, including the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...

and

New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...

. Recent research has shown that the genus ''Leontodon'' in the traditional delimitation is

polyphyletic A polyphyletic group is an assemblage of organisms or other evolving elements that is of mixed evolutionary origin. The term is often applied to groups that share similar features known as homoplasies, which are explained as a result of conver ...

. Therefore, the former ''Leontodon'' subgenus ''Oporinia'' was raised to generic level. According to the nomenclatural rules the name '' Scorzoneroides'' has priority at generic level and therefore, the members of ''Leontodon'' subgenus ''Oporinia'' were transferred to the re-erected genus ''Scorzoneroides''.

Ecology

Seeds of ''Leontodon'' species are an important food source for certain bird species.

Uses

Crete Crete ( el, Κρήτη, translit=, Modern: , Ancient: ) is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the 88th largest island in the world and the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, after Sicily, Sardinia, Cyprus, ...

, the species ''

Leontodon tuberosus ''Leontodon tuberosus'' is a species of plant 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 re ...

'' which is called ('), (') or (') has its roots eaten raw and its leaves eaten

steamed Steaming is a method of cooking using steam. This is often done with a food steamer, a kitchen appliance made specifically to cook food with steam, but food can also be steamed in a wok. In the American southwest, steam pits used for cooking hav ...

Secondary metabolites

The genus ''Leontodon'' s.str. (i.e. excluding the members of the resurrected genus ''Scorzoneroides'') is a rich source of hypocretenolides, unique guaiane type sesquiterpene lactones with a 12,5-lactone ring instead of the usual 12,6 lactone ring. Phenolics found in ''Leontodon'' include luteolin type flavonoids and caffeoyl quinic acid derivatives such as chlorogenic acid and 3,5-dicaffeoylquinic acid. Moreover, ''Leontodon'' species contain the caffeoyl tartaric acid derivatives caffeoyl tartaric acid and cichoric acid.

Species

;Accepted speciesFlann, C. (ed) 2009+ Global Compositae Checklist
*''

Leontodon alpestris ''Leontodon'' is a genus of plants in the tribe Cichorieae within the family Asteraceae, commonly known as hawkbits. Their English name derives from the mediaeval belief that hawks ate the plant to improve their eyesight. Although originally on ...

'' *''

Leontodon alpinus ''Leontodon'' is a genus of plants in the tribe Cichorieae within the family Asteraceae, commonly known as hawkbits. Their English name derives from the mediaeval belief that hawks ate the plant to improve their eyesight. Although originally on ...

'' *''

Leontodon ambiguus ''Leontodon'' is a genus of plants in the tribe Cichorieae within the family Asteraceae, commonly known as hawkbits. Their English name derives from the mediaeval belief that hawks ate the plant to improve their eyesight. Although originally on ...

'' *''

Leontodon anomalus ''Leontodon'' is a genus of plants in the tribe Cichorieae within the family Asteraceae, commonly known as hawkbits. Their English name derives from the mediaeval belief that hawks ate the plant to improve their eyesight. Although originally on ...

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Leontodon apulus ''Leontodon'' is a genus of plants in the tribe Cichorieae within the family Asteraceae, commonly known as hawkbits. Their English name derives from the mediaeval belief that hawks ate the plant to improve their eyesight. Although originally on ...

'' *''

Leontodon asperifolius ''Leontodon'' is a genus of plants in the tribe Cichorieae within the family Asteraceae, commonly known as hawkbits. Their English name derives from the mediaeval belief that hawks ate the plant to improve their eyesight. Although originally on ...

'' *''

Leontodon asperrimus ''Leontodon'' is a genus of plants in the tribe Cichorieae within the family Asteraceae, commonly known as hawkbits. Their English name derives from the mediaeval belief that hawks ate the plant to improve their eyesight. Although originally on ...

'' *''

Leontodon atlanticus ''Leontodon'' is a genus of plants in the tribe Cichorieae within the family Asteraceae, commonly known as hawkbits. Their English name derives from the mediaeval belief that hawks ate the plant to improve their eyesight. Although originally on ...

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Leontodon balansae ''Leontodon'' is a genus of plants in the tribe Cichorieae within the family Asteraceae, commonly known as hawkbits. Their English name derives from the mediaeval belief that hawks ate the plant to improve their eyesight. Although originally on ...

'' *''

Leontodon berinii ''Leontodon'' is a genus of plants in the tribe Cichorieae within the family Asteraceae, commonly known as hawkbits. Their English name derives from the mediaeval belief that hawks ate the plant to improve their eyesight. Although originally o ...

'' *'' Leontodon biscutellifolius'' *'' Leontodon borbasii'' *'' Leontodon boryi'' *'' Leontodon bourgaeanus'' *'' Leontodon brancsikii'' *''

Leontodon calvatus ''Leontodon'' is a genus of plants in the tribe Cichorieae within the family Asteraceae, commonly known as hawkbits. Their English name derives from the mediaeval belief that hawks ate the plant to improve their eyesight. Although originally onl ...

'' *'' Leontodon caucasicus'' *'' Leontodon collinus'' *'' Leontodon crispus'' *'' Leontodon croceus'' *'' Leontodon dandaleus'' *'' Leontodon dentatus'' *'' Leontodon djurdjurae'' *'' Leontodon dubius'' *''

Leontodon ehrenbergii ''Leontodon'' is a genus of plants in the tribe Cichorieae within the family Asteraceae, commonly known as hawkbits. Their English name derives from the mediaeval belief that hawks ate the plant to improve their eyesight. Although originally o ...

'' *'' Leontodon eriopodus'' *'' Leontodon farinosus'' *''

Leontodon filii ''Leontodon'' is a genus of plants in the tribe Cichorieae within the family Asteraceae, commonly known as hawkbits. Their English name derives from the mediaeval belief that hawks ate the plant to improve their eyesight. Although originally o ...

'' *'' Leontodon froedinii'' *'' Leontodon gaussenii'' *'' Leontodon glaber'' *'' Leontodon glaberrimus'' *''

Leontodon graecus ''Leontodon'' is a genus of plants in the tribe Cichorieae within the family Asteraceae, commonly known as hawkbits. Their English name derives from the mediaeval belief that hawks ate the plant to improve their eyesight. Although originally o ...

'' *'' Leontodon hellenicus'' *''

Leontodon hirtus ''Leontodon'' is a genus of plants in the tribe Cichorieae within the family Asteraceae, commonly known as hawkbits. Their English language, English name derives from the Middle Ages, mediaeval belief that hawks ate the plant to improve their ey ...

'' *'' Leontodon hispidaster'' *''

Leontodon hispidus ''Leontodon hispidus'' is a species of hawkbit known by the common names bristly hawkbit and rough hawkbit. It is native to Europe but it can be found throughout North America as an introduced species An introduced species, alien species, e ...

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Leontodon hugueninii ''Leontodon'' is a genus of plants in the tribe Cichorieae within the family Asteraceae, commonly known as hawkbits. Their English name derives from the mediaeval belief that hawks ate the plant to improve their eyesight. Although originally o ...

'' *''

Leontodon hyoseroides ''Leontodon saxatilis'' is a species of hawkbit known by the common names lesser hawkbit, rough hawkbit, and hairy hawkbit. It is native to Europe and North Africa but can be found in many other places across the globe as an introduced species an ...

'' *'' Leontodon incanus'' *'' Leontodon intermedius'' *''

Leontodon jouffroyi ''Leontodon'' is a genus of plants in the tribe Cichorieae within the family Asteraceae, commonly known as hawkbits. Their English language, English name derives from the Middle Ages, mediaeval belief that hawks ate the plant to improve their ey ...

'' *'' Leontodon kaiseri'' *'' Leontodon kerneri'' *'' Leontodon kotschyi'' *'' Leontodon kulczynskii'' *''

Leontodon kunthianus ''Leontodon'' is a genus of plants in the tribe Cichorieae within the family Asteraceae, commonly known as hawkbits. Their English language, English name derives from the Middle Ages, mediaeval belief that hawks ate the plant to improve their ey ...

'' *'' Leontodon laciniatus'' *'' Leontodon laconicus'' *'' Leontodon lannesii'' *'' Leontodon libanoticus'' *'' Leontodon lucidus'' *'' Leontodon macrorrhizus'' *'' Leontodon maroccanus'' *''

Leontodon megalorrhizus ''Leontodon'' is a genus of plants in the tribe Cichorieae within the family Asteraceae, commonly known as hawkbits. Their English name derives from the mediaeval belief that hawks ate the plant to improve their eyesight. Although originally o ...

'' *'' Leontodon molineri'' *''

Leontodon nivatensis ''Leontodon'' is a genus of plants in the tribe Cichorieae within the family Asteraceae, commonly known as hawkbits. Their English name derives from the mediaeval belief that hawks ate the plant to improve their eyesight. Although originally onl ...

'' *'' Leontodon oxylepis'' *''

Leontodon pinetorum ''Leontodon'' is a genus of plants in the tribe Cichorieae within the family Asteraceae, commonly known as hawkbits. Their English language, English name derives from the Middle Ages, mediaeval belief that hawks ate the plant to improve their ey ...

'' *''

Leontodon pinnatifidus ''Leontodon'' is a genus of plants in the tribe Cichorieae within the family Asteraceae, commonly known as hawkbits. Their English language, English name derives from the Middle Ages, mediaeval belief that hawks ate the plant to improve their ey ...

'' *'' Leontodon pitardii'' *''

Leontodon pratensis ''Leontodon'' is a genus of plants in the tribe Cichorieae within the family Asteraceae, commonly known as hawkbits. Their English name derives from the mediaeval belief that hawks ate the plant to improve their eyesight. Although originally o ...

'' *'' Leontodon preslii'' *'' Leontodon reboudianum'' *''

Leontodon rigens ''Leontodon'' is a genus of plants in the tribe Cichorieae within the family Asteraceae, commonly known as hawkbits. Their English name derives from the mediaeval belief that hawks ate the plant to improve their eyesight. Although originally o ...

'' *'' Leontodon rosani'' *'' Leontodon ruthii'' *'' Leontodon saxatilis'' *'' Leontodon siculus'' *'' Leontodon sooi'' *'' Leontodon stenocalathius'' *'' Leontodon subincanus'' *''

Leontodon sublyratus ''Leontodon'' is a genus of plants in the tribe Cichorieae within the family Asteraceae, commonly known as hawkbits. Their English language, English name derives from the Middle Ages, mediaeval belief that hawks ate the plant to improve their ey ...

'' *'' Leontodon taraxacoides'' *''

Leontodon tenuiflorus ''Leontodon'' is a genus of plants in the tribe Cichorieae within the family Asteraceae, commonly known as hawkbits. Their English name derives from the mediaeval belief that hawks ate the plant to improve their eyesight. Although originally on ...

'' *'' Leontodon tingitanus'' *''

Leontodon tomentosus ''Leontodon'' is a genus of plants in the tribe Cichorieae within the family Asteraceae, commonly known as hawkbits. Their English language, English name derives from the Middle Ages, mediaeval belief that hawks ate the plant to improve their ey ...

'' *''

'' *'' Leontodon tulmentinus'' *'' Leontodon uliginosus'' *'' Leontodon vegetus''

References

{{Authority control Asteraceae genera

Ecology

Uses

Secondary metabolites

Species

Further reading

References