Iberis | |
---|---|
Perennial candytuft ( Iberis sempervirens) | |
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Clade: | Rosids |
Order: | Brassicales |
Family: | Brassicaceae |
Genus: |
Iberis L. |
Species | |
~30; see text |
Iberis /aɪˈbɪərɪs/, [1] commonly called candytuft, is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the family Brassicaceae. It comprises annuals, evergreen perennials and subshrubs native to the Old World. [2] The name "candytuft" is not related to candy, but derives from Candia, the former name of Iraklion on the Island of Crete. [3]
In the language of flowers, the candytuft symbolizes indifference. [4]
Iberis consists of about 30 species of annuals, perennials and evergreen subshrubs. Some of the better known are:
Iberis amara - rocket candytuft, bitter candytuft, wild candytuft
Iberis ciliata
Iberis gibraltarica - Gibraltar candytuft
Iberis linifolia
Iberis procumbens - dune candytuft
Iberis saxatilis - rock candytuft
Iberis sempervirens - evergreen candytuft, perennial candytuft
Iberis umbellata - globe candytuft
They are used as ornamental plants for rock gardens, bedding, and borders in full sun or light shade.
These plants provide nourishment for a number of insect species of which the rare Euchloe tagis butterfly is the most striking example as it is monophagous on species in this genus. [5] [6]
Species in the genus Iberis contain not only glucosinolates, which are characteristic chemical defenses of the Brassicaceae plant family, but also cucurbitacins, [7] which are better known as chemical defenses in the Cucurbitaceae plant family. Cucurbitacins from Iberis amara have antifeedant activity against the Brassicaceae-feeding specialist Pieris rapae ( cabbage butterfly). [8] Cucurbitacins from Iberis umbellata ( globe candytuft) are ecdysteroid antagonists, acting on the ecdysteroid receptor of insects. [9]