Leontodon

{{Automatic taxobox

| image = Nordschitz-Leontodon hispidus.tif

| image_caption = Leontodon hispidus L.

| image2 = Leontodon hispidus - kare seanupp.jpg

| image2_caption = Seed-head of Leontodon hispidus

| display_parents = 3

| taxon = Leontodon

| authority = L.

| synonyms_ref =

| synonyms = {{hidden begin|title = List}}

Antodon Neck.
Apargia Scop.
Asterothrix Cass.
Bohadschia F.W.Schmidt
Colobium Roth
Dens-leonis Ség.
Microderis DC.
Plancia Neck.
Streckera Sch.Bip.
Thrincia Roth.
Thrixa Dulac
Virea Adans.

}}

Leontodon is a genus of plants in the tribe Cichorieae within the family Asteraceae, commonly known as hawkbits.

Their English name derives from the mediaeval belief that hawks ate the plant to improve their eyesight. Although originally only native to Eurasia and North Africa, some species have since become established in other countries, including the United States{{citation | contribution-url = http://efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=117988 | contribution = 52. Leontodon Linnaeus | title = Flora of North America }} and New Zealand.{{citation | contribution-url = http://floraseries.landcareresearch.co.nz/pages/Taxon.aspx?id=_8d8e0edb-5cf9-4ca1-a419-23b41e8d5f9c&fileName=Flora%204.xml#_8d8e0edb-5cf9-4ca1-a419-23b41e8d5f9c | contribution = LEONTODON L. | title = Flora of New Zealand }}

Recent research has shown that the genus Leontodon in the traditional delimitation is polyphyletic. Therefore, the former Leontodon subgenus Oporinia was raised to generic level.{{citation | journal =American Journal of Botany | year = 2006 | volume = 93 | pages = 1193–1205 | title = Molecular phylogenetics reveals Leontodon (Asteraceae, Lactuceae) to be diphyletic |author1=Rosabelle Samuel |author2=Walter Gutermann |author3=Tod F. Stuessy |author4=Claudete F. Ruas |author5=Hans-Walter Lack |author6=Karin Tremetsberger |author7=Salvador Talavera |author8=Barbara Hermanowski |author9=Friedrich Ehrendorfer | issue = 8 | doi = 10.3732/ajb.93.8.1193 | pmid=21642184|doi-access=free }} According to the nomenclatural rules the name Scorzoneroides has priority at generic level and therefore, the members of Leontodon subgenus Oporinia were transferred to the re-erected genus Scorzoneroides.{{citation | author = Greuter, W. | author2 = Gutermann, W. | author3 = Talavera, S. | name-list-style = amp | title = A preliminary conspectus of Scorzoneroides (Compositae, Cichorieae) with validation of the required new names | journal = Willdenowia | volume = 36 | pages = 689–692 | issn = 0511-9618 | doi = 10.3372/wi.36.36204 | url = http://www.bgbm.org/willdenowia/w-pdf/wi36-2Greuter+al.pdf | url-status = dead | archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20120306005934/http://www.bgbm.org/willdenowia/w-pdf/wi36-2Greuter+al.pdf | archivedate = 2012-03-06 | year = 2006 | issue = 2 | s2cid = 85657923 }}

Ecology

Seeds of Leontodon species are an important food source for certain bird species.{{cite journal|journal=Animal Science|year=2005|volume=81|pages=199–203|title=The influence of livestock management on habitat quality for farmland birds|author1=D. L. Buckingham|author2=W. J. Peach|issue=2 |url=http://www.bsas.org.uk/Publications/Animal_Science/text/Volume_81_Part_2/199/|doi=10.1079/asc50700199|url-access=subscription}}

Uses

In Crete, the roots of the species Leontodon tuberosus are eaten raw and its leaves are eaten steamed.{{cite book |author1=Kleonikos G. Stavridakis |author2=Κλεόνικος Γ. Σταυριδάκης |title= Wild edible plants of Crete - Η Άγρια βρώσιμη χλωρίδα της Κρήτης |publisher= Rethymnon Crete |year=2006 |isbn=960-631-179-1}}

Secondary metabolites

The genus Leontodon s.str. (i.e. excluding the members of the resurrected genus Scorzoneroides) is a rich source of hypocretenolides, unique guaiane type sesquiterpene lactones with a 12,5-lactone ring instead of the usual 12,6 lactone ring.{{cite journal | year = 2008 | author = Zidorn, C. | title = Sesquiterpene lactones and their precursors as chemosystematic markers in the tribe Cichorieae of the Asteraceae | volume = 69 | pages = 2270–2296 | issn = 0031-9422 | journal = Phytochemistry | issue = 12 | doi = 10.1016/j.phytochem.2008.06.013 | pmid = 18715600| bibcode = 2008PChem..69.2270Z }}

Phenolics found in Leontodon species include luteolin type flavonoids and caffeoyl quinic acid derivatives such as chlorogenic acid and 3,5-dicaffeoylquinic acid. Moreover, Leontodon species contain the caffeoyl tartaric acid derivatives caffeoyl tartaric acid and cichoric acid.{{cite journal | year = 2001 | author = Zidorn, C. | author2 = Stuppner, H. | title = Evaluation of chemosystematic characters in the genus Leontodon | volume = 50 | pages = 115–133 | issn = 0040-0262 | journal = Taxon | doi=10.2307/1224515| jstor = 1224515 | doi-access = free }}{{cite journal | year = 2010 | author = Sareedenchai, V. | author2 = Zidorn, C. | title = Flavonoids as chemosystematic markers in the tribe Cichorieae of the Asteraceae | volume = 38 | pages = 935–957 | issn = 0305-1978 | journal = Biochemical Systematics and Ecology | issue = 5 | doi = 10.1016/j.bse.2009.09.006| bibcode = 2010BioSE..38..935S }}

Species

The following species are recognised in the genus Leontodon:{{Cite web |title=Leontodon L. {{!}} Plants of the World Online {{!}} Kew Science |url=http://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:331707-2 |access-date=2023-11-14 |website=Plants of the World Online |language=en}}

Leontodon albanicus {{small|(F.K.Mey.) F.Conti}}
Leontodon anomalus {{small|Ball}}
Leontodon apulus {{small|(Fiori) Brullo}}
Leontodon asperrimus {{small|(Willd.) Endl.}}
Leontodon balansae {{small|Boiss.}}
Leontodon berinii {{small|(Bartl.) Roth}}
Leontodon biscutellifolius {{small|DC.}}
Leontodon boryi {{small|Boiss. ex DC.}}
Leontodon bourgaeanus {{small|Willk.}}
Leontodon caroliaedoi {{small|Talavera & M.Talavera}}
Leontodon × carreiroi {{small|(Gand.) M.Moura & L.Silva}}
Leontodon caucasicus {{small|(M.Bieb.) Fisch.}}
Leontodon crispus {{small|Vill.}}
Leontodon djurdjurae {{small|Coss. & Durieu ex Batt. & Trab.}}
Leontodon dubius {{small|(Hoppe) Poir.}}
Leontodon eriopodus {{small|Emb. & Maire}}
Leontodon farinosus {{small|Merino & Pau}}
Leontodon filii {{small|(Hochst. ex Seub.) Paiva & Ormonde}}
Leontodon × friasi {{small|M.Moura & Silva}}
Leontodon graecus {{small|Boiss. & Heldr.}}
Leontodon × grassiorum {{small|Zidorn}}
Leontodon hellenicus {{small|Phitos}}
Leontodon hirtus {{small|L.}}
Leontodon hispidus {{small|L.}}
Leontodon hochstetteri {{small|M.Moura & Silva}}
Leontodon hyoseroides {{small|Welw. ex Rchb.}}
Leontodon incanus {{small|(L.) Schrank}}
Leontodon intermedius {{small|Huter, Porta & Rigo}}
Leontodon kotschyi {{small|Boiss.}}
Leontodon kulczynskii {{small|Popov}}
Leontodon libanoticus {{small|Boiss.}}
Leontodon longirostris {{small|(Finch & P.D.Sell) Talavera}}
Leontodon maroccanus {{small|(Pers.) Ball}}
Leontodon oxylepis {{small|Boiss. & Heldr.}}
Leontodon pinetorum {{small|Pau}}
Leontodon pitardii {{small|Maire}}
Leontodon rigens {{small|(Aiton) Paiva & Ormonde}}
Leontodon rosanoi {{small|(Ten.) DC.}}
Leontodon saxatilis {{small|Lam.}}
Leontodon siculus {{small|(Guss.) Nyman}}
Leontodon stenocalathius {{small|Rech.f.}}
Leontodon tenuiflorus {{small|(Gaudin) Rchb.}}
Leontodon tingitanus {{small|(Boiss. & Reut.) Ball}}
Leontodon tuberosus {{small|L.}}
Leontodon × vegetus {{small|Finch & P.D.Sell}}

References

Category:Asteraceae genera