Chelone

CollinsiaClassification System: APG IV

Superregnum: Eukaryota
Regnum: Plantae
Cladus: Angiosperms
Cladus: Eudicots
Cladus: Core eudicots
Cladus: Asterids
Cladus: Lamiids
Ordo: Lamiales

Familia: Plantaginaceae
Tribus: Cheloneae
Genus: Chelone
Species: C. caeruleum – C. cuthbertii – C. glabra – C. lyonii – C. obliqua
Name

Chelone L., Sp. Pl. 2: 611. (1753)

Type species: Chelone glabra L. Sp. Pl. 2: 611. (1753)

Synonyms

Heterotypic
Chlonanthus Raf., Princ. Fond. Somiol. 26. (1814)

Homonyms

Chelone R.L. [Reichenbach], 1817, genus (Animalia, Lepidoptera) = Apoda Haworth, 1809

References

Linnaeus, C. 1753. Species Plantarum. Tomus II: 611. Reference page.
The Plant List 2013. Chelone in The Plant List Version 1.1. Published on the internet. Accessed: 2014 May 31.
Tropicos.org 2014. Chelone. Missouri Botanical Garden. Published on the internet. Accessed: 2014 May 31.
International Plant Names Index. 2014. Chelone. Published online. Accessed: May 31 2014.
Farr, E. R. & Zijlstra, G. eds. (1996-) Index Nominum Genericorum (Plantarum) (2010) June 22 [1].

Vernacular names
English: Turtlehead
suomi: Konnanyrtit
svenska: Sköldpaddsörtssläktet

Chelone is a genus of four[1] species of perennial herbaceous plants native to eastern North America.[1][2] They all have similarly shaped flowers (which led to the name turtlehead due to their resemblance to the head of a turtle), which vary in color from white to red, purple or pink.[1] Chelone cuthbertii, C. glabra, and C. lyonii are diploid and C. obliqua is either tetraploid or hexaploid, depending on their slight differences in morphology and localities.[1]

Etymology

Chelone is derived from Greek meaning ‘turtle-like’, in reference to its turtle head-shaped corollas.[3]
Relationships to other plants

The closest relative of Chelone is Nothochelone from western North America.[1] [3] [6] Nothochelone nemerosa is the species most closely related to the genus [3] [6]. Chelone is more closely related to it than to other members of the family such as snapdragons, plantains, and foxglove.[4]
Species

Chelone glabra is the most widely distributed species of the genus: from Georgia to Newfoundland and from Mississippi to Manitoba;[5] [5] [6] the other three are found in more restricted areas.

Chelone cuthbertii is found in two areas: the Blue Ridge of North Carolina and the coastal plain of Virginia.[1] [5] [6]

Chelone lyonii is found in the Blue Ridge of Tennessee, North Carolina, and South Carolina.[1] [5] [6]

Chelone obliqua is found as tetraploids in the Blue Ridge, or hexaploids in two areas: Tennessee to Arkansas and Michigan, or the Atlantic coastal plain from South Carolina to Maryland.[1] [5] [6]

The relationship between the different populations is complicated and it appears that C. obliqua in fact has arisen several times from diploid ancestors of the other three species.[1] [5] [6] The four species seem to have diverged recently.[1] [5] [6]
References

Allan D. Nelson; Wayne J. Elisens (1999). "Polyploid evolution and biogeography in Chelone (Scrophulariaceae): morphological and isozyme evidence". American Journal of Botany. Botanical Society of America. 86 (10): 1487–1501. doi:10.2307/2656929. JSTOR 2656929. PMID 10523288.
USDA, NRCS (n.d.). "Chelone". The PLANTS Database (plants.usda.gov). Greensboro, North Carolina: National Plant Data Team.
Gledhill, David (2008). "The Names of Plants". Cambridge University Press. ISBN 9780521866453 (hardback), ISBN 9780521685535 (paperback). pp 103, 276
Olmstead, R. G.; dePamphilis, C. W.; Wolfe, A. D.; Young, N. D.; Elisons, W. J. & Reeves P. A. (2001). "Disintegration of the Scrophulariaceae". American Journal of Botany. Botanical Society of America. 88 (2): 348–361. doi:10.2307/2657024. JSTOR 2657024. PMID 11222255.

USDA, NRCS (n.d.). "Chelone glabra". The PLANTS Database (plants.usda.gov). Greensboro, North Carolina: National Plant Data Team.

A. D. Nelson. 2012. Chelone. Flora of North America http://floranorthamerica.org/files/Chelone03f.CH%20for%20Prov%20Pub.pdf
NELSON, A.D. 1995. Polyploid evolution in Chelone (Scrophulariaceae). Ph.D. dissertation, University of. Oklahoma, Norman.
Chelone L. Plants of the World Online
Accepted species Plants of the World Online