Cephalaria
Cephalaria is a genus of about 65 species of flowering plants in the family Caprifoliaceae, native to southern Europe, western and central Asia, and northern and southern Africa.
They are annual or perennial herbaceous plants growing to 0.8–2 m tall.
Cephalaria species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including Schinia imperialis, which feeds exclusively on C. procera.
Selected species:
- Cephalaria alpina Roem. & Schult.
- Cephalaria ambrosioides Roem. & Schult.
- Cephalaria aristata C.Koch
- Cephalaria coriacea Roem. & Schult. ex Steud.
- Cephalaria flava Szabó
- Cephalaria gigantea Bobrov – Tatarian Cephalaria
- Cephalaria joppica Bég.
- Cephalaria laevigata Schrad.
- Cephalaria leucantha Roem. & Schult.
- Cephalaria linearifolia Lange
- Cephalaria litvinovii Bobrov
- Cephalaria pastricensis Dörfl. & Hayek
- Cephalaria radiata Griseb. & Schenk
- Cephalaria setulifera Boiss. & Heldr.
- Cephalaria squamiflora Greuter
- Cephalaria scabra Roem. & Schult.
- Cephalaria syriaca Roem. & Schult. – Syrian Cephalaria
- Cephalaria tchihatchewii Boiss.
- Cephalaria transylvanica Roem. & Schult.
- Cephalaria uralensis Roem. & Schult.
Cultivation and uses
Some species are grown as ornamental plants in gardens; the most popular species is C. gigantea, a perennial species from the Caucasus growing to 2 m tall, valued for its strong erect growth with dark green foliage and yellow flowers.
