Dianthus L.

Herbs, annual, biennial or perennial, rarely shrubby. Leaves narrow, linear, elliptic or lanceolate sometimes connate at base. Flowers solitary or paniceld cymes; bracteoles (epicalyx scales) 2 - many, closely adpressed to calyx. Calyx tubular, without scarious commissures or commissural veins, 5-toothed. Petals long-clawed, entire, toothed or fimbriate but never 2-fid, without appendages. Receptacle elongated, bearing petals, stamens and ovary at apex. Stamens 10. Styles 2, filiform. Capsules oblong, cylindrical or ovoid, dehiscing by 4 teeth; seeds peltate with a facial hilum.

Africa, Asia, Europe and North America; ca 270 species, 9 species in India.

Notes. Dianthus caryophyllus L. (Carnation) and its cultivars and hybrids; D. chinesis L., a native of China; D. barbatus L. and D. plumarius L., natives of Europe, are commonly cultivated in Indian gardens.

Literature. WILLIAMS, F. N. (1893) A monograph of the genus Dianthus. J. Linn. Soc., Bot. 29: 546 - 378.

KEY TO THE SPECIES

1a. Petals fimbriate along margins

2

b. Petals not fimbriate along margins

3

2a. leaves 1-nerved; calyx more than 2.5 cm long; bracteoles 9 - 14 mm long

5. Dianthus crinitus

b. Leaves 3-nerved; calyx less than 2.5 cm long; bracteoles 4 - 6 mm long

9. Dianthus orientalis

3a. Petal limb barbulate

4. Dianthus chinensis

b. Petal limb ebarbulate

4

4a. Calyx more than 1.8 cm long

5

b. Calyx less than 1.8 cm long

8

5a. Flowers in paniculate cymes

3. Dianthus caryophyllus

b. Flowers solitary or few

6

6a. Calyx ca 5 cm long

7. Dianthus falconeri

b. Calyx 1.8 - 2.5 cm long

7

7a. Leaves 1-nerved; calyx teeth pungent

8. Dianthus Jacquemontii

b. Leave 3-nerved; calyx teeth not pungent

2. Dianthus cachemiricus

8a. Bracteoles (4-) 8; calyx 9 - 11-nerved

1. Dianthus anatolicus

b. Bracteoles 2 (-4); calyx 7-nerved

6. Dianthus deltoides

List of Lower Taxa