Armeria is a genus of flowering plants. These plants are sometimes known as lady's cushion, thrift, or sea pink (the latter because as they are often found on coastlines). The genus counts over a hundred species, mostly native to the Mediterranean, although Armeria maritima is an exception, being distributed along the coasts of the Northern Hemisphere, including Ireland, parts of the United Kingdom such as Cornwall, and the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park in Wales.
Some are popular with gardeners as rockery plants.
During the Second World War, the UK thruppenny bit coin (3 old pence), which had featured a portcullis on its reverse side, changed to a depiction of the thrift plant, as a means of reminding the population of the need to avoid waste and practise thrift. After the war, it reverted to the portcullis.
Species 101 species are currently accepted:
Armeria alboi Armeria alliacea Armeria alpina Armeria alpinifolia Armeria apollinaris Armeria arcuata Armeria arenaria Armeria aspromontana Armeria atlantica Armeria beirana Armeria belgenciensis Armeria berlengensis Armeria bigerrensis Armeria bourgaei Armeria brutia Armeria caballeroi Armeria caespitosa Armeria canescens Armeria cantabrica Armeria capitella Armeria cariensis Armeria × carnotana Armeria castellana Armeria castrovalnerana Armeria castroviejoi Armeria choulettiana Armeria ciliata Armeria × cintrana Armeria colorata Armeria curvifolia Armeria denticulata Armeria duriaei Armeria ebracteata Armeria eriophylla Armeria euscadiensis Armeria filicaulis Armeria fontqueri Armeria gaditana Armeria garganica Armeria genesiana Armeria girardii Armeria godayana Armeria gracilis Armeria grajoana Armeria gussonei Armeria helodes Armeria hirta Armeria hispalensis Armeria humilis Armeria icarica Armeria johnsenii Armeria langei Armeria leonis Armeria leucocephala Armeria linkiana Armeria macrophylla Armeria macropoda Armeria maderensis Armeria malacitana Armeria malinvaudii Armeria maritima – sea thrift, sea cushion, sea pink Armeria masguindalii Armeria mauritanica Armeria merinoi Armeria montiberica Armeria morisii Armeria muelleri Armeria nebrodensis Armeria neglecta Armeria × nieto-felineri Armeria pauana Armeria × pilariae Armeria pinifolia Armeria pocutica Armeria pseudarmeria Armeria pubigera Armeria pubinervis Armeria pungens Armeria quichiotis Armeria rhodopea Armeria rivasmartinezii Armeria rothmaleri Armeria rouyana Armeria rumelica Armeria ruscinonensis Armeria × salmantica Armeria sampaioi Armeria sancta Armeria sardoa Armeria saviana Armeria seticeps Armeria simplex Armeria soleirolii Armeria spinulosa Armeria splendens Armeria sulcitana Armeria tingitana Armeria trachyphylla Armeria transmontana Armeria trianoi Nieto Armeria trojana Armeria undulata Armeria vandasii Armeria velutina Armeria villosa Armeria welwitschii
References
Bibliography