Dianthus is a genus of
roughly about 300 species of flowering plants in the family
Caryophyllaceae. These are native mainly to Europe and Asia, with a few
species extending south to north Africa. There is one species (D.
repens) in arctic North America. Common names include carnation (D.
caryophyllus), pink (D. plumarius and related species) and sweet
william (D. barbatus).
The etymology of the name Dianthus is from the Greek words dios ("god")
and anthos ("flower"), and was cited by the Greek botanist Theophrastus.
The Dianthus species are mostly perennial herbs, a few are annual or biennial, and some are low subshrubs with woody basal stems.
The leaves are opposite, simple, mostly linear. They often
strongly glaucous grey-green to blue-green. The flowers have five
petals, typically with a frilled margin, and are (in almost all
species) pale to dark pink. One species (D. knappii) has yellow flowers
with a purple centre.
Dianthus species are used
as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species that include
the Cabbage Moth, Double-striped Pug, Large Yellow Underwing and The
Lychnis. | |
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