Gypsophila perfoliata is a species of flowering plant in the family Caryophyllaceae (the carnation or pink family). It is commonly known as the perfoliate gypsophila. The species was first formally described by Carl Linnaeus in 1753 in his Species Plantarum.
Taxonomy and Classification
- Kingdom: Plantae
- Clade: Angiosperms (flowering plants)
- Order: Caryophyllales
- Family: Caryophyllaceae
- Genus: Gypsophila
- Species: G. perfoliata
- Binomial authority: L.
The species has several heterotypic synonyms, including Gypsophila trichotoma Wender., Gypsophila hygrophila Post, Gypsophila paulii Klokov, and Gypsophila sabulosa Steven ex Ser., among others. Several infraspecific varieties have also been described, including var. araratica, var. glabra, var. pubescens, and var. tomentosa.
Distribution
According to the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (Plants of the World Online), the native range of Gypsophila perfoliata extends from southeastern Europe to Mongolia and Iran. It is native to: Altay, Bulgaria, East European Russia, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Crimea, Mongolia, the North Caucasus, Romania, South European Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Tuva, Türkiye, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, and Xinjiang (China).
The species has been introduced into the Baltic States, Central European Russia, Germany, Hungary, and Poland. GBIF records it as introduced (but not classified as invasive) in Belarus, Germany, Estonia, Lithuania, Moldova, Poland, and Slovakia.
Morphology and Ecology
Gypsophila perfoliata is a perennial herbaceous plant that grows primarily in the temperate biome. According to the FloraVeg.EU database, it reaches a typical height of approximately 0.6 meters and is classified as a hemicryptophyte (a plant with overwintering buds at or near the soil surface). Its flowering period spans from June to August.
The species is an autotroph (photosynthetic) and non-carnivorous, with no nitrogen-fixing symbionts. Its seeds are dispersed by wind (anemochory), with a seed mass of approximately 0.4 mg. The specific leaf area is reported as 16.22 mm²/mg.
Habitat
The plant occurs in a range of broad habitats, including wetland, grassland (non-alpine, non-saline), saline vegetation, scrub, forest, and sparsely vegetated areas (including rock and scree). It is a diagnostic species of several phytosociological classes, including Festuco-Brometea (dry grasslands), Ammophiletea arundinaceae (coastal dune vegetation), and Salicornietea fruticosae (salt marsh vegetation). It is also associated with Black Sea coastal dune grassland, Black Sea broad-leaved coastal dune forest, and Mediterranean and Black Sea soft sea cliffs.
Ecological indicator values (Ellenberg-type) place the species as a light-demanding plant (light indicator value 8.3), with moderate temperature requirements (5.8) and mesic moisture preferences (4.8). The substrate humidity relationship is classified as mesic.
Vernacular Names
- German: Durchwachsenblättriges Gipskraut
- Finnish: seporaunikki
- Swedish: stor brudslöja
Edibility
Some sources, such as the Edible Plant Database, list Gypsophila perfoliata as having edible parts, specifically the leaves and stems. However, detailed information on its culinary use is limited, and such claims should be treated with caution.
References
- Linnaeus, C. (1753). Species Plantarum 1: 408.
- Plants of the World Online, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
- GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility), species record 5384453.
- FloraVeg.EU database.
