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Verbesina encelioides (Cav.) A. Gray var. encelioidesAsteraceae (Sunflower Family)Miss. Valley to Fla.Eared Crownbeard |
May Photo
Plant Characteristics:
Much-branched erect annual 3-12 dm. high with a taproot; stems canescent;
lvs. narrowly lanceolate to deltoid-ovate, acute or acuminate, the blade 4-10
cm. long, saliently dentate, white-strigose, greener on upper surface, on
slender petioles, petioles of upper lvs. often with a pair of half-ovate
foliaceous, stipuliform appendages at base; invol. 7-12 mm. high, 10-15 mm.
wide, scarcely graduate, densely strigose, the phyllaries lance-linear;
rays 10-15 mm. long, fertile; disk-aks. when fully mature turning from
black to whitish-olive and the canescent corky wing of uniform width becoming
more prominent.
Habitat:
A weed of field borders, etc.; V. Grassland, Coastal Sage Scrub, etc.;
Riverside Co. to Ventura Co.; cent. valley of Calif.; Ariz. to Kans., Mex.
The var. encelioides, with lvs.
auriculate at base, occurs from Miss. V. to Fla. May-Dec.
Name:
From Verbena, because of a
foliage resemblance. (Munz, Flora
So. Calif. 239). Encelioides
means like Encelia, the flower heads
are like those of Encelia.
(John Johnson). Latin, ex, from or without and Latin, auricula, the lobe of the ear.
(Simpson 68,222). Exauriculata,
without ears. as contrasted to var.
encelioides.
General:
Rare in the study area having been found only once and this in the
parking area at Big Canyon. (my comment).
This plant, common on disturbed ground and sometimes coloring acres or
miles of roadside yellow, was used by Indians and early settlers to treat skin
ailments. (Spellenberg 394).
V. encelioides has been found
to accumulate free nitrates in quantities capable of causing death or distress
in cattle. (Fuller 385).
The foliage is silvery green or gray and has a strong, fetid scent a
little like rotting meat (thus the Spanish name for it, "Sunflower of the
Dead"- Anil del Muerto).
The plant is primarily an anti-inflammatory for redness and swelling of
the orifices. The paste is applied
directly to hemorrhoids, labial inflammations, and sore gums.
A hot cup of the tea will break fevers, inducing copious sweating,
relaxation, and a mild laxative effect.
Over 100 subspecies of warm and temp. to trop. N. and S. Am.
(Munz, Flora So. Calif. 239).
Var. encelioides is not
mentioned in the Jepson Manual. Roberts
lists var. encelioides in his checklist, possibly because I found it.
Munz in Flora So. Calif. says this variety occurs from the Miss. Valley to
Florida; Abrams describes the
ear-like appendages with var. exauriculata,
other authors do not. (my comments).
Moore, in his book Medicinal Plants
of the Desert and Canyon West, says
that Verbesina encelioides occurs throughout the desert and
canyon West but does not name a variety.
Toxic to livestock but unpalatable.
(Hickman, Ed. 356).
Text Ref:
Abrams, Vol. IV 126; Hickman, Ed. 356; Munz, Flora
So. Calif. 239; Roberts 14.
Photo Ref:
May 2 84 # 4A,5A,6A.
Computer Ref:
Plant Data 341.
Identity by John Johnson.
Have plant specimen.
Last edit 6/29/00.
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