SAPONARIA L. - SOAPWORT
Scientific Description:
Annual, biennial or perennial herbs, glabrous or with eglandular or glandular hairs. Leaves simple, entire. Inflorescence cymose, paniculate or capitate. Calyx ebracteolate, narrowly cylindrical, many-nerved, without or with very narrow commissures. Petals longer or shorter than the calyx, with or without a distinct lamina and claw; lamina with or without two coronal scales at the base. Torus short or elongated into a carpophore. Ovary many-, rarely few-ovulate. Styles 2. Capsule oblong to ovoid, dehiscing at the apex by four short valves or teeth. Seeds few or many, reniform, flat, tuberculate.
Reference:
Hedge IC (1967). Saponaria L., In: Davis PH (ed.), Flora of Turkey and the East Aegean Islands, Edinburgh University Press, Edinburgh, 2: 138.
Public Description:
Saponaria, commonly known as “soapwort”, is native to Europe and Asia. There are approximately 30 species in the world and 22 species (27 taxa) in Türkiye. They are herbaceous perennials and annuals plants, some with woody bases. The flowers are abundant and usually in shades of pink or white. The genus name “Saponaria” derives from the Latin “sapo (soap)” and “-aria (pertaining to)”. "Saponin", a chemical used in soap making, is abundant in the members of this genus and, for this reason has been used for soap production since the past.
References:
Anonymous 1 (2017). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saponaria/, Accessed date: 17.11.2017.
Anonymous 2 (2017). http://www.theplantlist.org/1.1/browse/A/Caryophyllaceae/Saponaria/,Accessed date: 17.11.2017.
Anonymous 3 (2017). https://gobotany.newenglandwild.org/search/?q=saponaria,Accessed date: 17.11.2017.
Ekim T (2012). Saponaria L., In: Güner, A., Aslan, S., Ekim, T., Vural, M. & Babaç, M.T. (eds.), Türkiye Bitkileri Listesi (Damarlı Bitkiler). Nezahat Gökyiğit Botanik Bahçesi ve Flora Araştırmaları Derneği Yayını. İstanbul, pp. 353–354.
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