Rhaponticum is a formerly accepted genus of flowering plants in the tribe Cardueae within the family Asteraceae. As of May 2023, both Plants of the World Online and the Global Compositae Database rejected the genus in favour of Leuzea.[1][2] Plants of the World Online placed all its species in that genus, apart from one unplaced species, Rhaponticum scariosum.[1]
The taxonomic history of the genus name Rhaponticum is complicated. It has been published at least four times according to the International Plant Names Index. The earliest was by Albrecht von Haller in 1742, which is regarded as an invalid name (nom. inval.).[3] The next publication was by Sébastien Vaillant in 1754, also an invalid name.[4] The next was by Christian Gottlieb Ludwig in 1757. This has become a conserved name (nom. cons.), with the conserved type species Centaurea rhapontica (syn. Leuzea rhapontica subsp. rhapontica).[5] A subsequent publication by Michel Adanson in 1763 is illegitimate.[6]
Combining the genera Rhaponticum and Leuzea under the latter name was first suggested by Josef Holub in 1973.[7] A 2006 phylogenetic study confirmed that as then circumscribed the genus Leuzea was embedded within Rhaponticum.[8] As of May 2023, the Global Composite Database accepted all four Rhaponticum names as synonyms of Leuzea,[9] while Plants of the World Online listed only Rhaponticum Ludw., which it regarded as a synonym of Centaurea,[10] while placing the species of Rhaponticum in Leuzea.[1]
Species formerly placed in the genus include:[1]
Leuzea repens, formerly Rhaponticum repens Leuzea conifera, formerly Rhaponticum coniferum Rhaponticum is a formerly accepted genus of flowering plants in the tribe Cardueae within the family Asteraceae. As of May 2023, both Plants of the World Online and the Global Compositae Database rejected the genus in favour of Leuzea. Plants of the World Online placed all its species in that genus, apart from one unplaced species, Rhaponticum scariosum.
