Alyssum

Alyssum is a genus of over a hundred species of flowering plants in the family Brassicaceae, native to Europe, Asia, and northern Africa, with the highest species diversity in the Mediterranean region. The genus comprises annual and perennial herbaceous plants or (rarely) small shrubs, growing to 10–100 cm tall, with oblong-oval leaves. Alyssum flowers are characteristically small and grouped in terminal clusters; they are often yellow or white colored but can be pink or purple.

The genera Lobularia, Aurinia and Odontarrhena are closely related to Alyssum and were formerly included in it. The widely cultivated species popularly known as "sweet alyssum" (Alyssum maritimum) is Lobularia maritima. The common rockery plant (Alyssum saxatile) is Aurinia saxatilis.

Alyssum foliage is used as food by the caterpillars of certain Lepidoptera, including the Gem (Orthonama obstipata). However, rabbits will not eat it.

Accepted
The following is a list of accepted species. Unless noted otherwise, it follows AlyBase. An asterisk indicates provisionally accepted names.


 * Alyssum aizoides
 * Alyssum alyssoides
 * Alyssum andinum
 * Alyssum argyrophyllum
 * Alyssum armenum
 * Alyssum artwinense
 * Alyssum atlanticum
 * Alyssum aurantiacum
 * Alyssum austrodalmaticum
 * Alyssum bargalense*
 * Alyssum baumgartnerianum
 * Alyssum blancheanum
 * Alyssum bornmuelleri
 * Alyssum bosniacum
 * Alyssum bulbotrichum
 * Alyssum cacuminum
 * Alyssum caespitosum
 * Alyssum calycocarpum*
 * Alyssum cephalotes
 * Alyssum clausonis*
 * Alyssum collinum
 * Alyssum contemptum
 * Alyssum corningii
 * Alyssum cuneifolium
 * Alyssum dagestanicum
 * Alyssum damascenum
 * Alyssum dasycarpum
 * Alyssum decoloratum*
 * Alyssum diffusum
 * Alyssum djurdjurae
 * Alyssum doerfleri
 * Alyssum embergeri*
 * Alyssum erosulum
 * Alyssum fastigiatum
 * Alyssum flahaultianum*
 * Alyssum flexicaule
 * Alyssum foliosum
 * Alyssum fulvescens
 * Alyssum gallaecicum
 * Alyssum gmelinii
 * Alyssum granatense
 * Alyssum gustavssonii
 * Alyssum hajastanum
 * Alyssum handelii
 * Alyssum harputicum
 * Alyssum hezarmasjedense
 * Alyssum hirsutum
 * Alyssum idaeum
 * Alyssum iljinskae
 * Alyssum iranicum
 * Alyssum kaynakiae
 * Alyssum kotovii*
 * Alyssum lanceolatum
 * Alyssum lassiticum
 * Alyssum lenense
 * Alyssum lepidoto-stellatum
 * Alyssum lepidotum
 * Alyssum loiseleurii
 * Alyssum lycaonicum
 * Alyssum macrocalyx
 * Alyssum macropodum
 * Alyssum minutum
 * Alyssum misirdalianum
 * Alyssum moellendorfianum
 * Alyssum montanum
 * Alyssum mouradicum
 * Alyssum muelleri
 * Alyssum neglectum
 * Alyssum nezaketiae*
 * Alyssum niveum*
 * Alyssum numidicum*
 * Alyssum ochroleucum
 * Alyssum orophilum
 * Alyssum oschtenicum*
 * Alyssum paphlagonicum
 * Alyssum patulum*
 * Alyssum persicum
 * Alyssum pirinicum
 * Alyssum pluscanescens
 * Alyssum pogonocarpum
 * Alyssum praecox
 * Alyssum propinquum
 * Alyssum pseudomouradicum
 * Alyssum pulvinare
 * Alyssum reiseri
 * Alyssum repens
 * Alyssum rhodanense
 * Alyssum rossetii
 * Alyssum rostratum
 * Alyssum scutigerum
 * Alyssum siculum
 * Alyssum simplex
 * Alyssum simulans
 * Alyssum smyrnaeum
 * Alyssum speciosum*
 * Alyssum sphacioticum
 * Alyssum stapfii
 * Alyssum stenostachyum*
 * Alyssum stribrnyi
 * Alyssum strictum
 * Alyssum strigosum
 * Alyssum sulphureum
 * Alyssum szovitsianum
 * Alyssum taygeteum
 * Alyssum tetrastemon
 * Alyssum thymops
 * Alyssum trichocarpum
 * Alyssum trichostachyum
 * Alyssum turkestanicum
 * Alyssum umbellatum
 * Alyssum vernale
 * Alyssum wierzbickii
 * Alyssum wulfenianum
 * Alyssum xanthocarpum

Formerly included
The following names are listed by World Flora Online as accepted (as of the end of 2021), but in AlyBase have either been assigned to different genera (typically based on molecular phylogeny studies) or have been reduced to synonymy. A question mark indicates doubtful synonyms or species names with unresolved taxonomic status.


 * Alyssum akamasicum B.L.Burtt → Odontarrhena akamasica
 * Alyssum algeriense Pomel → Alyssum granatense?
 * Alyssum alpestre L. → Odontarrhena alpestris
 * Alyssum anamense Velen. → Odontarrhena singarensis?
 * Alyssum anatolicum Hausskn. ex Nyár. → Odontarrhena anatolica
 * Alyssum antiatlanticum Emb. & Maire → Cuprella antiatlantica
 * Alyssum arabicum (Boiss.) T.Durand & Schinz → Lobularia arabica
 * Alyssum argenteum All. → Odontarrhena argentea
 * Alyssum aureum (Fenzl) Boiss. → Meniocus aureus
 * Alyssum bertolonii Desv. → Odontarrhena bertolonii
 * Alyssum blepharocarpum T.R.Dudley & Hub.-Mor. → Meniocus blepharocarpus
 * Alyssum bracteatum Boiss. & Buhse → Odontarrhena bracteata
 * Alyssum brughieri? Brein ex Colla
 * Alyssum caliacrae Nyár. → Odontarrhena tortuosa subsp. caliacrae
 * Alyssum callichroum Boiss. & Balansa → Odontarrhena callichroa
 * Alyssum caricum T.R.Dudley & Hub.-Mor. → Odontarrhena carica
 * Alyssum cassium Boiss. → Odontarrhena cassia
 * Alyssum chondrogynum B.L.Burtt → Odontarrhena chondrogyna
 * Alyssum cilicicum Boiss. & Balansa → Odontarrhena cilicica
 * Alyssum cochleatum Coss. & Durieu → Hormathophylla cochleata
 * Alyssum condensatum Boiss. & Hausskn. → Odontarrhena condensata
 * Alyssum constellatum Boiss. → Odontarrhena constellata
 * Alyssum corsicum Duby → Odontarrhena corsica
 * Alyssum corymbosoides Formánek → Odontarrhena corymbosoidea
 * Alyssum crenulatum Boiss. & Heldr. → Odontarrhena crenulata
 * Alyssum curetum Gand. → Alyssum idaeum
 * Alyssum cypricum Nyár. → Odontarrhena cyprica
 * Alyssum davisianum T.R.Dudley → Odontarrhena davisiana
 * Alyssum davisianum T.R.Dudley → Odontarrhena davisiana
 * Alyssum debarense Micevski → Odontarrhena debarensis
 * Alyssum degenianum Nyár. → Odontarrhena muralis
 * Alyssum densistellatum T.R.Dudley → Alyssum montanum s.l.
 * Alyssum desertorum Stapf → Alyssum turkestanicum
 * Alyssum dimorphosepalum Eig → Alyssum iranicum
 * Alyssum discolor T.R.Dudley & Hub.-Mor. → Odontarrhena discolor
 * Alyssum dubertretii Gomb. → Odontarrhena dubertretii
 * Alyssum dudleyi Adıgüzel & R.D.Reeves → Odontarrhena dudleyi
 * Alyssum emarginatum (Boiss.) Rouy → Bornmuellera emarginata
 * Alyssum erigens Jord. & Fourr. → Alyssum vernale
 * Alyssum eriophyllum Boiss. & Hausskn. → Odontarrhena eriophylla
 * Alyssum euboeum Halácsy → Odontarrhena euboea
 * Alyssum fallacinum Hausskn. → Odontarrhena heldreichii
 * Alyssum fedtschenkoanum N.Busch → Odontarrhena fedtschenkoana
 * Alyssum filiforme Nyár. → Odontarrhena filiformis
 * Alyssum floribundum Boiss. & Balansa → Odontarrhena floribunda
 * Alyssum fragillimum (Bald.) Rech.f. → Odontarrhena fragillima
 * Alyssum gadorense P.Küpfer → Alyssum fastigiatum
 * Alyssum gehamense Fed. → Odontarrhena gehamensis
 * Alyssum gevgelicense Micevski → Odontarrhena gevgelicensis
 * Alyssum giosnanum Nyár. → Odontarrhena giosnana
 * Alyssum globosum (Desv.) Kuntze → Physaria globosa
 * Alyssum gymnopodum P.A.Smirn. → Odontarrhena tortuosa subsp. cretacea
 * Alyssum hakaszkii Nyár. → Odontarrhena obovata
 * Alyssum haussknechtii Boiss. → Odontarrhena haussknechtii
 * Alyssum heldreichii Hausskn. → Odontarrhena heldreichii
 * Alyssum heterotrichum Boiss. → Meniocus heterotrichus
 * Alyssum homalocarpum (Fisch. & C.A.Mey.) Boiss. → Cuprella homalocarpa
 * Alyssum huber-morathii T.R.Dudley → Odontarrhena huber-morathii
 * Alyssum huetii Boiss. → Meniocus huetii
 * Alyssum kavadarcense Micevski → Odontarrhena kavadarcensis
 * Alyssum klimesii Al-Shehbaz → Ladakiella klimesii
 * Alyssum kurdicum (Boiss.) Nyár. → Odontarrhena kurdica
 * Alyssum lanigerum DC. → Odontarrhena lanigera
 * Alyssum leiocarpum Pomel → Alyssum minutum
 * Alyssum lesbiacum (P.Candargy) Rech.f. → Odontarrhena lesbiaca
 * Alyssum libanoticum Nyár. → Odontarrhena libanotica
 * Alyssum linifolium Stephan ex Willd. → Meniocus linifolius
 * Alyssum longistylum (Sommier & Levier) Grossh. → Odontarrhena tortuosa subsp. tortuosa
 * Alyssum luteolum Pomel → Alyssum granatense?
 * Alyssum markgrafii O.E.Schulz → Odontarrhena markgrafii
 * Alyssum masmenaeum Boiss. → Odontarrhena masmenaea
 * Alyssum mazandaranicum Mirzadeh & Assadi → Alyssum turkestanicum
 * Alyssum meniocoides Boiss. → Meniocus meniocoides
 * Alyssum microphylliforme Nyár. → Odontarrhena tortuosa subsp. tortuosa?
 * Alyssum mozaffarianii Kavousi → Odontarrhena mozaffarianii
 * Alyssum mughlaei Orcan → Odontarrhena mughlaei
 * Alyssum murale Waldst. & Kit. → Odontarrhena muralis
 * Alyssum musilii Velen. → Cuprella homalocarpa
 * Alyssum nebrodense Tineo → Odontarrhena nebrodensis
 * Alyssum obovatum (C.A.Mey.) Turcz. → Odontarrhena obovata
 * Alyssum obtusifolium Steven ex DC. → Odontarrhena obtusifolia
 * Alyssum odoratum? Colla
 * Alyssum orbelicum Ančev & Uzunov → Odontarrhena orbelica
 * Alyssum orbiculare (Regel) Nyár. → Odontarrhena obovata
 * Alyssum ovirense A.Kern. → Alyssum wulfenianum subsp. ovirense
 * Alyssum oxycarpum Boiss. & Balansa → Odontarrhena oxycarpa
 * Alyssum pateri Nyár. → Odontarrhena pateri
 * Alyssum peltarioides Boiss. → Odontarrhena peltarioidea
 * Alyssum penjwinense T.R.Dudley → Odontarrhena penjwinensis
 * Alyssum pinifolium (Nyár.) T.R.Dudley → Odontarrhena pinifolia
 * Alyssum polycladum Rech.f. → Odontarrhena polyclada
 * Alyssum pterocarpum T.R.Dudley → Odontarrhena pterocarpa
 * Alyssum robertianum Bernard ex Gren. & Godr. → Odontarrhena robertiana
 * Alyssum samariferum Boiss. & Hausskn. → Odontarrhena samarifera
 * Alyssum samium T.R.Dudley & Christod. → Odontarrhena samia
 * Alyssum scardicum Wettst. → Alyssum montanum s.l.
 * Alyssum sergievskajae Krasnob. → Stevenia sergievskajae
 * Alyssum serpentinum Micevski → Odontarrhena serpentina
 * Alyssum serpyllifolium Desf. → Odontarrhena serpyllifolia
 * Alyssum sibiricum Willd. → Odontarrhena sibirica
 * Alyssum singarense Boiss. & Hausskn. → Odontarrhena singarensis
 * Alyssum skopjense Micevski → Odontarrhena skopjensis
 * Alyssum smolikanum Nyár. → Odontarrhena smolikana
 * Alyssum spruneri Jord. & Fourr. → Alyssum montanum s.l.
 * Alyssum stipitatum Kavousi & T.R.Dudley → Odontarrhena stipitata
 * Alyssum stylare (Boiss. & Balansa) Boiss. → Meniocus stylaris
 * Alyssum subbaicalicum Nyár. → Odontarrhena obovata
 * Alyssum subspinosum T.R.Dudley → Odontarrhena subspinosa
 * Alyssum syriacum Nyár. → Odontarrhena syriaca
 * Alyssum szarabiacum Nyár. → Odontarrhena szarabiaca
 * Alyssum tavolarae Briq. → Odontarrhena tavolarae
 * Alyssum tenium Halácsy → Odontarrhena diffusa
 * Alyssum tenuifolium Stephan ex Willd. → Stevenia tenuifolia
 * Alyssum tortuosum Waldst. & Kit. ex Willd. → Odontarrhena tortuosa subsp. tortuosa
 * Alyssum trapeziforme Bornm. ex Nyár. → Odontarrhena trapeziformis
 * Alyssum troodi Boiss. → Odontarrhena troodi
 * Alyssum turgidum T.R.Dudley → Odontarrhena turgida
 * Alyssum virgatum Nyár. → Odontarrhena virgata