Aethionema is a genus of flowering plants within the family Brassicaceae. They are known as stonecresses. Stonecresses originate from sunny limestone mountainsides in Europe and West Asia, especially Turkey.
| Aethionema | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Aethionema grandiflorum | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Brassicales |
| Family: | Brassicaceae |
| Genus: | Aethionema R.Br. |
| Synonyms[1] | |
| |
Aethionema have typically perennials, but may be annuals. Their leaves are ovate or linear.[2]
Etymology
The Latin name Aethionema derives from ancient Greek αἴθειν "to light up, kindle" + νῆμα "thread, yarn".[citation needed] The English name "stonecress" derives from its creeping habit and its favoured stony or rocky sites.[3]
Taxonomy
Aethionema is sister to the rest of the genera in the Brassicaceae. The two clades diverged some time during the Eocene.[2]
Species include:[1]
- Aethionema alanyae H.Duman
- Aethionema alidaghenicum Yild.
- Aethionema annuum Yild.
- Aethionema apetalum Yild. & Kiliç
- Aethionema arabicum (L.) Andrz. ex DC.
- Aethionema armenum Boiss.
- Aethionema bingoelicum Yild. & Kiliç
- Aethionema capitatum Boiss. & Balansa
- Aethionema carlsbergii Strid & Papan.
- Aethionema carneum (Banks & Sol.) B.Fedtsch.
- Aethionema compactum (Hartvig & Å.Strid) Yild.
- Aethionema cordatum (Desf.) Boiss.
- Aethionema coridifolium DC. – Lebanon stonecress
- Aethionema demirizii P.H.Davis & Hedge
- Aethionema diastrophis Bunge
- Aethionema dincii Yild.
- Aethionema dumanii Vural & Adigüzel
- Aethionema dumelicum Yild.
- Aethionema edentulum N.Busch
- Aethionema erinaceum (Boiss.) Khosravi & Mumm.
- Aethionema ertughrulii Yild.
- Aethionema erzincanum Kandemir & Aytaç
- Aethionema eunomioides (Boiss.) Bornm.
- Aethionema fimbriatum Boiss.
- Aethionema froedinii Rech.f.
- Aethionema gileadense Post
- Aethionema glaucinum Greuter, Burdet, I.A.Andersson, Carlström, Franzén, Karlén & Nybom
- Aethionema grandiflorum Boiss. & Hohen. – Persian stonecress
- Aethionema heterocarpum J.Gay
- Aethionema heterophyllum (Boiss. & Buhse) Boiss.
- Aethionema huber-morathii P.H.Davis & Hedge
- Aethionema karamanicum Ertugrul & Beyazoglu
- Aethionema kilicii Yild.
- Aethionema lepidioides Hub.-Mor.
- Aethionema levandowskyi N.Busch
- Aethionema lycium I.A.Andersson, Carlström, Franzén, Karlén & H.Nybom
- Aethionema marashicum P.H.Davis
- Aethionema membranaceum DC.
- Aethionema munzurense P.H.Davis & Yild.
- Aethionema orbiculatum (Boiss.) Hayek
- Aethionema ozbekii Yild.
- Aethionema papillosum P.H.Davis
- Aethionema retsina Phitos & Snogerup
- Aethionema rhodopaeum D.K.Pavlova
- Aethionema sabzevaricum Khosravi & Joharchi
- Aethionema saxatile (L.) W.T.Aiton
- Aethionema schistosum Boiss. & Kotschy
- Aethionema semnanensis Mozaff.
- Aethionema speciosum Boiss. & A.Huet
- Aethionema spicatum Post
- Aethionema stylosum DC.
- Aethionema subulatum (Boiss. & Heldr.) Boiss.
- Aethionema syriacum (Boiss.) Bornm.
- Aethionema thesiifolium Boiss. & Heldr.
- Aethionema thomasianum J.Gay
- Aethionema transhyrcanum (Czerniak.) N.Busch
- Aethionema turanicum Yild.
- Aethionema turcica H.Duman & Aytaç
- Aethionema virgatum (Boiss.) Hedge
- Aethionema yildirimlii Kiliç
Cultivation
Aethionema species are grown for their profuse racemes of cruciform flowers in shades of red, pink or white, usually produced in spring and early summer. A favoured location is the rock garden or wall crevice. They appreciate well-drained alkaline soil conditions, but can be short-lived.[4] The hybrid cultivar 'Warley Rose' is a subshrub with bright pink flowers. It has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.[5][6]