Gnaphalium


Gnaphalium is a genus of flowering plants in the sunflower family, commonly called cudweeds. They are widespread and common in temperate regions, although some are found on tropical mountains or in the subtropical regions of the world.
Cudweeds are important foodplants for American painted lady caterpillars.

Species

Species in this genus include:

Formerly included

Numerous species have at one time been included in Gnaphalium, but are now considered to belong to other genera: Achyrocline, Aliella, Ammobium, Anaphalioides, Anaphalis, Anaxeton, Antennaria, Argyrotegium, Belloa, Berroa, Blumea, Castroviejoa, Chevreulia, Chionolaena, Chrysocephalum, Dolichothrix, Edmondia, Euchiton, Ewartia, Facelis, Filago, Galeomma, Gamochaeta, Gnomophalium, Helichrysum, Ifloga, Laphangium, Lasiopogon, Leontonyx, Leontopodium, Leucogenes, Logfia, Lucilia, Luciliocline, Metalasia, Micropsis, Neojeffreya, Novenia, Ozothamnus, Pentzia, Petalacte, Phagnalon, Pilosella, Plecostachys, Pseudognaphalium, Pterocaulon, Rhodanthe, Raoulia, Schizogyne, Staehelina, Stuckertiella, Syncarpha, Troglophyton, Vellereophyton, Xerochrysum

Secondary metabolites

Gnaphalium species are known to contain flavonoids and diterpenes. Recently, two unique caffeoyl-D-glucaric acid derivatives, leontopodic acid and leontopodic acid B formerly only known from Leontopodium alpinum Cass. were detected in various species of Gnaphalium together with similar formerly unknown compounds.