Acanthophyllum

a genus of plants of the family Caryophyllaceae. They are subshrubs or, sometimes, perennial herbs with many-branched stems that often form spiny semispherical cushions. The leaves are opposite, usually subulate, and prickly. There are approximately 50 species in the arid regions of Asia. In the USSR there are more than 30 species, distributed predominantly in Middle Asia and in the Caucasus. The species A. glandulosum, a small prickly subshrub, is found in Turkmenia and Western Pamir. Its roots, which are called Turkestan soaproot, contain saponin, which is used in the food and textile industries and as a detergent. Other species of Acanthophyllum also contain saponin—for example, A. gypsophiloides and A. paniculatum. These two species, which are perennial herbs with nonprickly leaves, are sometimes assigned to the genus Allochrusa.