Corncockles | |
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Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Order: | Caryophyllales |
Family: | Caryophyllaceae |
Genus: | Agrostemma L. |
Species | |
Several, including: |
Agrostemma is a genus of annual plants in the family Caryophyllaceae, containing the species known as corncockles. Its best-known member is A. githago, the common corncockle, which is a native of Europe.[1] The species is a weed of cereals and other crops, probably with a centre of origin in the eastern Mediterranean.[2] It occurs as a weed worldwide, but is declining in its native range because of improved seed cleaning.[citation needed] Corncockle is an attractive plant, and its seeds are still commercially available to gardeners.