Stock Photo: Linaria Flower

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Linaria is a genus of 150 species of herbaceous annuals and perennials and the largest genus in the Antirrhineae tribe of the Plantaginaceae family.

Some of the more familiar Linaria include:

• Common toadflax or butter-and-eggs (Linaria vulgaris), a European species which is widely introduced elsewhere and grows as a common weed in some areas.

• Broomleaf toadflax or Dalmatian toadflax (Linaria genistifolia, syn. L. dalmatica), a native of southeast Europe that has become a weed in parts of North America.

• Purple toadflax (Linaria purpurea), a species native to the Mediterranean region grown as a garden plant for its dark purple or pink flowers.

• Pale toadflax (Linaria repens), a species from western Europe similar to L. purpurea, but with paler flowers.

Etymology

The members of this genus are known in English as toadflax, a name shared with several related genera. The scientific name Linaria means "resembling Linum" (flax), which the foliage of some species superficially resembles.

Distribution and habitat

The genus is native to temperate regions of Europe, northern Africa and Asia, with the highest species diversity in the Mediterranean region.

Ecology

Some Linaria are regarded as noxious weeds. They are likely toxic to livestock, but ruminants generally avoid them.

Uses

Toadflaxes are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species, including the Mouse Moth (Amphipyra tragopoginis) and the Common Buckeye (Junonia coenia). L. vulgaris has been used as a medicinal herb for the treatment of many illnesses and conditions, including cancer, hepatitis, hemorrhoids, scrofula, and scurvy. It has been used as an astringent, an emollient, and a laxative.

~ wiki/Linaria