Antirrhineae
| Antirrhineae | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| A nectar spur and a bright yellow "tongue" spot, as in these Linaria reflexa flowers, are widespread traits among the Antirrhineae | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Eudicots |
| (unranked): | Asterids |
| Order: | Lamiales |
| Family: | Plantaginaceae |
| Tribe: |
Antirrhineae Dumort. |
| Genera | |
|
About 30, see text |
|
About 30, see text
The Antirrhineae are one of the 12 tribes of the Plantaginaceae family. It contains the toadflax relatives, such as snapdragons. They are probably most closely related to the turtlehead tribe (Cheloneae) and/or a large and badly resolved core group of their family including plants as diverse as water-starworts (Callitriche), foxgloves (Digitalis), and speedwell (Veronica). The Antirrhineae include about 30 genera with roughly 320 species, of which 150 are in genus Linaria. The type genus is Antirrhinum L..
Most Antirrhineae are herbaceous, short-lived, perennial or annual plants growing at most about a metre/yard tall when in full flower; the maximum height of most species is half as much or less. Some are prostrate or twining. The flowers are often conspicuous, tubular with a basal appendix (spur, gibbous, or saccate) containing nectaries, and may be of any color, though yellow and blue/purple hues are most common. Multicolored flowers are a common occurrence in this tribe; a typical pattern is one conspicuous whitish or bright yellow or reddish spot at the lower outer edge of the flower tube, looking like a protuding tongue. Other characters include poricidal dehiscent capsule fruit, and the possession of iridoid glycosides.
The Antirrhineae are not noted as food- or fodder plants, probably due to the iridoid content making them less than palatable. However, the tribe does not seem to contain highly poisonous plants, either; rather, use in folk medicine has been documented for a few species. While e.g. common toadflax (Linaria vulgaris) is credited with a range of uses by European herbalists, as of the 2010s, little scientific study has been made and the traditionally attested medical properties of the Antirrhineae are by and large unremarkable by standards of the Plantaginaceae, which abound with species of major pharmacological interest. The chief human use of the present tribe is for the flowers, primarily as ornamental plants in gardening. Colloquially called "the snapdragon", Antirrhinum majus is probably the single most widely known member of the Antirrhineae by far.
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Wikipedia