where it is a native species, and Turkey. In this study, chemical and physical properties of unripe saponins obtained by extraction from the roots of G. simonii, an endemic plant, were isolated and investigated. Purified aglycones recovered from acid hydrolysis of the saponins were separated by reversed chromatography on a thin layer of silica gel. Phytochemical tests showed the presence of terpenoids in the crude extracts. Selected species There are about 150 species in the genus. Species include: Gypsophila acantholimoides Gypsophila achaia Gypsophila acutifolia – sharpleaf baby's-breath Gypsophila adenophora Gypsophila adenophylla Gypsophila albida Gypsophila altissima Gypsophila antari Gypsophila antoninae Gypsophila arabica Gypsophila aretioides Gypsophila arrostii – Arrost's baby's-breath Gypsophila aucheri Gypsophila aulieatensis Gypsophila australis Gypsophila bicolor Gypsophila capituliflora Gypsophila caricifolia Gypsophila cephalotes Gypsophila davurica Gypsophila desertorum Gypsophila elegans – showy baby's-breath Gypsophila fastigiata – fastigiate gypsophila Gypsophila glandulosa Gypsophila glomerata Gypsophila huashanensis Gypsophila imbricata Gypsophila intricata Gypsophila iranica Gypsophila krascheninnikovii Gypsophila libanotica Gypsophila licentiana Gypsophila litwinowii Gypsophila nana – dwarf gypsophila Gypsophila oldhamiana – Manchurian baby's-breath, Oldham's baby's-breath Gypsophila pacifica Gypsophila paniculata – baby's-breath, common gypsophila, panicled baby's-breath Gypsophila patrinii Gypsophila perfoliata – perfoliate gypsophila Gypsophila petraea Gypsophila pilosa – Turkish baby's-breath Gypsophila repens – alpine gypsophila, creeping baby's-breath Gypsophila rokejeka Gypsophila ruscifolia Gypsophila scorzonerifolia – glandular baby's-breath, garden baby's-breath Gypsophila sericea Gypsophila silenoides Gypsophila simonii Gypsophila spergulifolia Gypsophila spinosa Gypsophila stevenii – Steven's baby's-breath Gypsophila struthium Gypsophila tenuifolia Gypsophila tschiliensis Gypsophila uralensis Gypsophila venusta Gypsophila viscosa Gypsophila wendelboi Gypsophila wilhelminae Gypsophila xanthochlora Gypsophila muralis (annual gypsophila, cushion baby's-breath, low baby's-breath) is now placed in the genus Psammophiliella. References Caryophyllaceae genera Saponaceous plants