Genus of flowering plants in the honeysuckle family Caprifoliaceae
Lomelosia is a genus of flowering plant in the family Caprifoliaceae and the subfamily of Dipsacoideae.
The genus includes over 50-63, perennial and annual species, diffused around the Mediterranean Sea, with the greatest diversity of species concentrated in the eastern Mediterranean and the Middle East (including the Arabian Peninsula), and also has a few species reaching as far east as China.
Morphologically, the genus accommodates all "Scabiosa" taxa with a pitted epicalyx. (an involucre (structure surrounding or supporting, usually a head of flowers) resembling an outer calyx (collective term for the sepals of the flower).
Some older books still list them under "Scabiosa". or list both names together. Such as "Scabiosa sicula" L. ["Lomelosia divaricata" Jacq.) Greuter &amp; Burdet].
Taxonomy.
"Lomelosia" was first published and described by french botanist Rafinesque in Flora Telluriana Vol.4 on page 95 in 1838, with a general description of "Lomelosia stellata" (L.) Raf.
The name "Lomelosia" is derived from the Greek word "Loma" meaning 'the edge or the border' which refers to the membranous border of the flower.
History.
It was included in "Scabiosa" L. for quite a long time (e.g. Jasiewicz 1976),
Earlier researchers had considered that the annual species of "Scabiosa" to be derived within "Lomelosia" and hypothesized that this was responsible for the successful colonization of the (mostly) Eastern Mediterranean, (Ehrendorfer, 1965a; and Verlaque, 1986b.
For very many years "Lomelosia caucasica" was known as "Scabiosa caucasica" M. Bieb. as well as several other species of "Scabiosa". Then following a comprehensive study of the family Dipsacaceae by Verlaque in 1983, and also by Devesa in 1984.
The Scabioseae subfamily were then split into several genera, with "S. caucasica" placed in "Lomelosia" Raf. (Greuter 1985). López González in 1987 agreed with the split.
Greuter and Raus in 1985, divided Iranian species of "Scabiosa" into two genera as "Lomelosia" (= "Scabiosa" sect. "Astrocephalus" and sect. "Olivierinae") and "Scabiosa" s. str. ("Scabiosa" s. l sect. "scaboisa"). "Asterocephalus" was later classed as a synonym of "Scabiosa".
Soják in 1987, also transferred several species of Scabiosa taxa found in Asia, to the "Lomelosia" genus. Including "Lomelosia flavida" (Boiss. &amp; Hausskn.) Soják, "Lomelosia gumbetica" (Boiss.) Soják, "Lomelosia isetensis" (L.) Soják, "Lomelosia leucactis" (Patzak) Soják, "Lomelosia macrochaete" (Boiss. &amp; Hausskn.) Soják, "Lomelosia olgae" (Albov) Soják, "Lomelosia rhodantha" (Kar. &amp; Kir.) Soják, "Lomelosia speciosa" (Royle) Soják, "Lomelosia songarica" (Schrenk) Soják and "Lomelosia ucranica" (L.) Soják.
There are 22 species of "Scabiosa" recorded in the "Flora Iranica" by Rechinger in 1989, as he had not accepted the new term "Lomelosia" and had stated that species were later divided into two subgenera ("Scabiosa" and "Asterocephalus") and three sections including "Scabiosa", "Asterocephalus" and "Olivierianae". He had used "Scabiosa" sect. "Olivierianae" to hold some of the annual species of "Scabiosa" subg. "Asterocephalus".
New species from Iran and Asia were also added to these three sections.
Molecular data demonstrated that "Lomelosia" (and "Pycnocomon") form a clade distinct from "Scabiosa" (and "Sixalix") (De Castro &amp; Caputo 1997-1998,
Further carpological (seed studies) and palynological studies by Mayer &amp; Ehrendorf in 1999, have confirmed that "Lomelosia" was a separate genus from "Scabiosa", which has been further substantiated by later data from molecular phylogenetics (Caputo &amp; al. 2004; and Avino &amp; al. 2009. In 2009, the DNA clade of "Scabioseae", consisting of "Pterocephalus" s.str., "Sixalix", "Scabiosa", "Lomelosia", and "Pycnocomon" was established. "Lomelosia" can be distinguished from the other related genera by the presence of eight pits on the epicalyx tube (De Castro &amp; Caputo 2001).
The annual "Lomelosia brachiata" was resolved to be a "genetic sister" to the rest of "Lomelosia" and "Pycnocomon" in 2009.
In 2010, the Dipsacoideae subfamily was divided into 2 genetic DNA clades; "Knautia"–"Cephalaria"–"Dipsacus"–"Succisella" clade and the "Scabiosa"–"Pterocephalus"–"Lomelosia" clade.
In 2011, 4 more species from the "Scabiosa" genus with a pitted epicalyx transferred to "Lomelosia", "Lomelosia deserticola" (Rech. f.) P. Caputo &amp; Del Guacchio, "Lomelosia poecilocarpa" (Rech. f.) P. Caputo &amp; Del Guacchio, "Lomelosia schimperiana" (Boiss. &amp; Buhse) P. Caputo &amp; Del Guacchio, and "Lomelosia transcaspica" (Rech. f.) P. Caputo &amp; Del Guacchio.
In 2013, V. Mayer and Ehrend established "Lomelosieae", a subgenus within "Lomelosia".
Description.
"Lomelosia" is made up of perennial and annual, herbaceous species, examples include; "Lomelosia persica" is an annual species, while "Lomelosia caucasica" M. Bieb. is a perennial.
They are sometimes suffruticose (having a woody base, but herbaceous higher up), unarmed, without prickles. Leafy or scapiform stems, which have short hairs. It has sessile or petiolate (stalked) leaves. They are whole and toothed. They can be pinnatifid, pinnatipartite or pinnatisect. The basal leaves are sometimes in a rosette, persistent or not at anthesis (fully open flowering). They have hemispheric chapters at anthesis which are globose or ovoid at the time of fruiting. It has numerous free bracts, arranged in 1-2 (or 3) rows. They are entire or pinnatifid, receptacle at first hemispherical and then conical or cylindrical (in shape), hairy, with herbaceous-scarious bracteoles. They have hermaphroditic, pentamerous (5 part) flowers, which are subactinomorphic (less than star-shaped) or zygomorphic (bilateral). They are almost equal or the peripheral ones of the larger chapter. The secondary involucre is homomorphous, sessile, without basal elasome, shaped like a cylindrical tube, with no apparent nerves or ribs and is densely hirsute. They have 8 foveolae in the distal half. It has a campanulate (bell-shaped) crown, which is scarious (dry and membranous) and hyaline (translucent), with ± scalloped edge. They are traversed by numerous smooth or scabrid nerves, sometimes excurrent (extending). The midriff is scarious and hairy. It consists of 8 adnate tabs and with a cylindrical projection that surrounds the calyx stipe. The calyx is pateniform, pentagonal (in shape), ± stipitate, with glanduliferous or eglandulous hairs. It has 5 subulate or widened edges at the base, they are ± scabrid, erect-patent or patent and persistent. The corolla has 5 lobes, that of the peripheral flowers are often zygomorphic, with very unequal lobes. As 3 are bigger than the other 2 lobes. The central is major, so that of the flowers in the center are subactinomorphic. They come in shades of pink, violet-pink or blue-like. The androecium is made of 4 stamens. The stigma is capitate (resembles the head of a pin), bilobate (split in two) and oblique. The fruit (or seed capsule) is an achene (dry fruit) which is glabrous or hairy. (Translated from Spanish).
They are generally have involucral bracts not connate (fused to another organ), entire and radiant, the epicalyx is cylindrical and the corona can be large.
Species.
63 Accepted species by Plants of the World Online (as of October 2023);
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GRIN (United States Department of Agriculture and the Agricultural Research Service) only accepts 12 species;"Lomelosia argentea", "Lomelosia calocephala", "Lomelosia caucasica", "Lomelosia cretica", "Lomelosia divaricata", "Lomelosia graminifolia", "Lomelosia micrantha", "Lomelosia minoana", "Lomelosia palaestina", "Lomelosia prolifera", "Lomelosia speciosa" and "Lomelosia stellata".
Distribution.
"Lomelosia" is described as an Old World genus and it is distributed from the Mediterranean region to Central Asia.
It is found in the European countries (and regions) of Albania, the Balearic Islands, Bulgaria, Cyprus, East Aegean Islands, France, Greece, Italy, Crete, Portugal, Romania, Sardinia, Sicily, Spain, Switzerland, Ukraine and Yugoslavia.
In Russia, (Altai (region), Crimea, East European Russia, South European Russia and West Siberia.
In Northern Africa within Algeria, Egypt, Tunisia, Libya and Morocco.
In the Middle East, within Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Lebanon, Syria, Oman, Pakistan, Palestine, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey.
In central Asia within Kazakhstan, Kirghistan, North Caucasus, Tajikistan, Transcaucasus, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and West Himalaya.
Also in eastern Asia in Xinjiang (China).
Habitat.
"Lomelosia" species like a range of habitats.
For example, "Lomelosia cyprica" is found on dry slopes in garigue (low scrubland) and open pine forests at altitudes of above sea level.
While "L. argentea" likes arid meadows and garigue, "L. crenata" likes detrital (rocky) slopes and "L. graminifolia" likes stony slopes (in Italy).
"Lomelosia minoana" is Greek and Crete native rock-dwelling plant.
While "Lomelosia deserticola" (Rech.f.) P.Caputo &amp; Del Guacchio is found in deserts of Syria, Jordan, Iraq and Pakistan and "Lomelosia schimperiana" (Boiss. &amp; Buhse) P. Caputo &amp; Del Guacchio is found in open environments in Iran.
Ecology.
The flowers of "Lomelosia" are insect pollinated, mainly by bees and bumblebees, as the plants give them a reward of nectar and pollen. Other insects are occasional visitors, such as long-tongues hoverflies (Syrphidae), moths (Proctor et al. 1996), Lepidoptera (such as Lycaenidae) and Diptera) (Muller 1873,).
Uses.
"Lomelosia hymettia" is considered as a medicinal plant (Grigoriadou et al., 2019), with antimicrobial properties (Christopoulou et al., 2008).
Several species of "Lomelosia" are grown as ornamentals in Europe. Jäger &amp; al. (2008; sub "Scabiosa") cites "L. caucasica" (M. Bieb.) Greuter &amp; Burdet, "L. graminifolia" (L.) Greuter &amp; Burdet, "L. prolifera" (L.) Greuter &amp; Burdet and "'L. stellata" (L.) Raf. Matthews (2000; also sub Scabiosa) even cites 12 additional species that are cultivated in European gardens. One of these, "L. stellata", has been recorded as a "casual escape" in Belgium.
While "L. graminifolia" (L.) Greuter &amp; Burdet (Barth, 2020), "L. hymettia" (Boiss. &amp; Spruner) Greuter &amp; Burdet and "L. cretica" (L.) Greuter &amp; Burdet are xerophytes used in landscaping designs. "L. prolifera" (L.) Greuter &amp; Burdet has been used as part of green roof plantations (Cristaudo et al., 2015).
Cultivation.
Successful propagation in various species of "Lomelosia" has been reported both via seed growing and by vegetative methods. Propagation with cuttings for species "Lomelosia hymettia" was carried out using Indole-3-butyric acid (IBA, hormone rooting agent) with results to a high rate of rooting (92.5-100%) during autumn, compared to 50-67.5% during the spring (Vlachou et al., 2019). In-vitro propagation has also been successfully employed for "Lomelosia argentea" (L.) Greuter &amp; Burdet (Panayotova et al., 2008).
References.
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