Wikipedia

Inula

Inula is a genus of about 80 species of flowering plants in the family Asteraceae, native to Europe, Asia and Africa.

Inula
Inula helenium[1]
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Asterales
Family: Asteraceae
Subfamily: Asteroideae
Tribe: Inuleae
Genus: Inula
L.
Synonyms[2]
  • Bojeria DC.
  • Codonocephalum Fenzl
  • Corvisartia Mérat
  • Cupularia Godr. & Gren.
  • Orsina Bertol.
  • Eritheis Gray
  • Petrollinia Chiov.
  • Sprunnera Sch.Bip.
Inula helenium
Inula oculus-christi
Ploughman's-spikenard (Inula conyzae)

They may be annuals, herbaceous perennials or subshrubs that vary greatly in size, from small species a few centimeters tall to enormous perennials over 3 m (10 ft) tall. They carry yellow daisy-like composite flowerheads often with narrow ray-florets.

Some common characteristics include pappus with bristles, flat capitulum, and lack of chaff.

Several species are popular flowers for the garden, with cultivation going back to antiquity. The smaller species are used in rock gardens and the more common larger ones, which tend to have very coarse foliage, in borders.

Etymology

edit

The genus name Inula is of uncertain origin, and was already in use by the Romans. The Latin phrase inula campana (field inula) gave rise to the English elecampane whose scientific name is Inula helenium. The plant's specific name, helenium, derives from Helen of Troy; elecampane is said to have sprung up from where her tears fell.[3]

Species

edit

The following species are recognised in the genus Inula:[4]

Select species formerly in Inula

edit

Ecology

edit

Inula species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including case-bearers of the genus Coleophora, such as C. conyzae (recorded on I. conyzae), C. follicularis, C. inulae, and C. troglodytella.

edit
  •  
    Inula hookeri. Budding flower bud.
  •  
    Inula hookeri. Inflorescence.

References

edit
  1. ^ 1897 illustration from Franz Eugen Köhler, Köhler's Medizinal-Pflanzen
  2. ^ "Flann, C (ed) 2009+ Global Compositae Checklist". Archived from the original on 2014-12-09. Retrieved 2014-12-09.
  3. ^ Melderis, A. (2007). A Handbook of British Flowering Plants. READ BOOKS. p. 271. ISBN 978-1-4067-6632-5. Retrieved 2009-04-13.
  4. ^ "Inula L. | Plants of the World Online | Kew Science". Plants of the World Online. Retrieved 2022-07-03.
edit
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Inula&oldid=1237462861"