View source for Saponaria

{{Short description|Genus of flowering plants}}
{{Automatic taxobox
| image = Saponaria ocymoides0.jpg
| image_caption = ''[[Saponaria ocymoides]]''
| taxon = Saponaria
| authority = [[Carl Linnaeus|L.]] (1753)
| subdivision_ranks = Species
| subdivision = 30-40, see text
| synonyms =
*''Bootia'' {{small|Neck. (1768), nom. illeg.}}
*''Pleioneura'' {{small|Rech.f. (1951)}}
*''Proteinia'' {{small|(Ser.) Rchb. (1841)}}
*''Smegmathamnium'' {{small|Fenzl ex Rchb. (1844)}}
*''Spanizium'' {{small|Griseb. (1843)}}
| synonyms_ref = <ref name="POWO"/>
}}

'''''Saponaria''''' is a [[genus]] of [[flowering plant]]s in the [[family (biology)|family]] [[Caryophyllaceae]], [[native plant|native]] to Asia and Europe, and are commonly known as '''soapworts'''.<ref name=fna>{{eFloras|1|129161|Saponaria |family=Caryophyllaceae |first1=John W. |last1=Thieret |first2=Richard K. |last2=Rabeler}}</ref> They are [[herbaceous]] [[perennial]]s and [[annual plant|annual]]s, some with woody bases. The flowers are abundant, five-petalled and usually in shades of pink<ref name=RHSAZ>{{cite book|title=RHS A–Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants |year=2008 |publisher=Dorling Kindersley |location=United Kingdom |isbn=978-1405332965}}</ref> or white.<ref name=fna/> The genus is closely related to the genus ''[[Silene]]'', being distinguished from these by having only two (not three or five) [[gynoecium|styles]] in the flower.<ref name=RHSAZ/> It is also related to ''[[Gypsophila]]'', but its [[sepal|calyx]] is cylindrical rather than bell-shaped.<ref name=pak>{{eFloras|5|129161|Saponaria |first1=Shahina A. |last1=Ghazanfar |first2=Yasin J. |last2=Nasir}}</ref>

The most familiar species might be [[Saponaria officinalis|common soapwort]] (''S. officinalis''), which is native to Eurasia but is known in much of the world as an [[introduced species]], often a [[weed]], and sometimes a cultivated [[ornamental plant]].<ref name=fna/> The genus name ''Saponaria'' derives from the Latin [[wikt:sapo#Latin|''sapo'']] ("soap") and -''aria'' ("pertaining to"),<ref name=fna/> and at least one species, ''S. officinalis'', has been used to make [[soap]].<ref name=AZPLA>{{cite book |last=Coombes |first=A. J. |title=The A to Z of Plant Names |year=2012 |publisher=Timber Press |location=USA |isbn=9781604691962 |page=[https://archive.org/details/isbn_9781604691962/page/265 265] |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/isbn_9781604691962/page/265 }}</ref> It contains [[saponin]]s, and a liquid soap can be produced by soaking the leaves in water.<ref name=fna/> This soap is still used to clean delicate antique tapestries.<ref>{{cite book |last=Elliot|first=Doug|date= July 1995|title=Wild Roots: Forager's Guide to the Edible and Medicinal Roots, Tubers, Corms and Rhizomes of North America|publisher=Inner Traditions / Bear & Co |isbn=978-0892815388}}</ref> It is also sometimes stated that it is used as an [[emulsifier]] in [[Turkish delight]] confections, but this is a case of double confusion. The roots of plants in genus ''[[Gypsophila]]'' are used to make the Turkish confection [[Halva|helva]] and ''Saponaria'' species are not used.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Işın |first1=Priscilla Mary |title=Sherbet & Spice : the complete story of Turkish sweets and desserts |date=2013 |publisher=I.B. Tauris |location=New York |isbn=978-1-84885-898-5 |pages=128, 270 |edition=1st |url=https://archive.org/details/sherbetspicecomp0000isnp/page/270 |access-date=9 March 2024 |language=en}}</ref>

''Saponaria'' species are eaten by the [[larva]]e of some [[Lepidoptera|butterflies and moths]], including the [[Lychnis (moth)|Lychnis]] and ''[[Coleophora|Coleophora saponariella]]'', which is exclusive to the genus.

==Diversity==
There are thirty<ref name=pak/><ref name=china>{{eFloras|2|129161|Saponaria |volume=6 |last1=Lu |first1=Dequan<!-- surname first? --> |first2=Magnus |last2=Lidén |first3=Bengt |last3=Oxelman}}</ref> to forty<ref name=fna/><ref name=jurg>{{cite journal |last1=Jürgens |first1=Andreas |first2=Taina |last2=Witt |first3=Gerhard |last3=Gottsberger |date=2003 |url=http://www.pollination.de/SILENE_PROJECT/information/Biochem_Syst_Ecol_2003_31_345-357.pdf |title=Flower scent composition in ''Dianthus'' and ''Saponaria'' species (Caryophyllaceae) and its relevance for pollination biology and taxonomy |periodical=Biochemical Systematics and Ecology |volume=31 |issue=4 |pages=345–57 |doi=10.1016/S0305-1978(02)00173-4|bibcode=2003BioSE..31..345J }}</ref><ref>{{Jepson eFlora|10855|Saponaria |first1=Ronald L. |last1=Hartman |first2=Richard K. |last2=Rabeler |date=2012}}</ref> species in the genus.

[[Plants of the World Online]] accepts 39 species:<ref name="POWO">{{cite POWO |id=6449-1 |title=''Saponaria'' L. |access-date=9 March 2024}}</ref>

{{Species list
 | ''[[Saponaria aenesia]]'' | Heldr.
 | ''[[Saponaria bargyliana]]'' | Gomb.
 | ''[[Saponaria bellidifolia]]'' | Sm.
 | ''[[Saponaria biovulata]]'' | (Stapf) Barkoudah
 | ''[[Saponaria bodeana]]'' | Boiss.
 | ''[[Saponaria caespitosa]]'' | DC.
 | ''[[Saponaria calabrica]]'' | Guss.
 | ''[[Saponaria cerastoides]]'' | Fisch. ex C.A.Mey.
 | ''[[Saponaria cypria]]'' | Boiss.
 | ''[[Saponaria dalmasi]]'' | H.Boissieu
 | ''[[Saponaria emineana]]'' | Gemici & Kit Tan
 | ''[[Saponaria glutinosa]]'' | M.Bieb.
 | ''[[Saponaria griffithiana]]'' | Boiss.
 | ''[[Saponaria gypsacea]]'' | Vved.
 | ''[[Saponaria halophila]]'' | Hedge & Hub.-Mor.
 | ''[[Saponaria iranica]]'' | Dashti, Assadi & Sharifnia
 | ''[[Saponaria jagelii]]'' | Phitos & Greuter
 | ''[[Saponaria karapinarensis]]'' | Vural & Adıgüzel
 | ''[[Saponaria kotschyi]]'' | Boiss.
 | ''[[Saponaria lutea]]'' | L.
 | ''[[Saponaria mesogitana]]'' | Boiss.
 | ''[[Saponaria ocymoides]]'' | L.
 | ''[[Saponaria officinalis]]'' | L.
 | ''[[Saponaria orientalis]]'' | L.
 | ''[[Saponaria pachyphylla]]'' | Rech.f.
 | ''[[Saponaria pamphylica]]'' | Boiss. & Heldr.
 | ''[[Saponaria picta]]'' | Boiss.
 | ''[[Saponaria pinetorum]]'' | Hedge
 | ''[[Saponaria prostrata]]'' | Willd.
 | ''[[Saponaria pumila]]'' | Janch.
 | ''[[Saponaria pumilio]]'' | Boiss.
 | ''[[Saponaria sewerzowii]]'' | Regel & Schmalh.
 | ''[[Saponaria sicula]]'' | Raf.
 | ''[[Saponaria stenopetala]]'' | Rech.f.
 | ''[[Saponaria subrosularis]]'' | Rech.f.
 | ''[[Saponaria suffruticosa]]'' | Nábělek
 | ''[[Saponaria syriaca]]'' | Boiss.
 | ''[[Saponaria tadzhikistanica]]'' | (Botsch.) V.A.Shultz
 | ''[[Saponaria tridentata]]'' | Boiss.
}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=20038 ''Saponaria''.] ITIS.

{{Taxonbar|from=Q157500}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Caryophyllaceae]]
[[Category:Caryophyllaceae genera]]
[[Category:Saponaceous plants]]
[[Category:Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus]]