Genus of flowering plants
Heliosperma is a genus of flowering plants in the family Caryophyllaceae. As such, it is closely related to the large genus "Silene", but its members can be told apart from "Silene" by the crest of long papillae on the seeds. The majority of the species are narrow endemics from the Balkan Peninsula, but "H. alpestre" is endemic to the Eastern Alps, and "H. pusillum" is found from the in northern Spain to the Carpathians. Like members of the genus "Silene" and other related genera, "Heliosperma" is attacked by species of the anther smut fungus "Microbotryum". Cases of parallel divergence events between alpine and mountain populations have been reported in this genus.
Species.
Around 15 species are currently recognised in the genus:
References.
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