Helenium amarum | |
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Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Clade: | Asterids |
Order: | Asterales |
Family: | Asteraceae |
Genus: | Helenium |
Species: | H. amarum
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Binomial name | |
Helenium amarum | |
Synonyms [2] [3] | |
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Helenium amarum is a species of annual herb in the daisy family known by the common names yellowdicks, yellow sneezeweed, fiveleaf sneezeweed, and bitter sneezeweed. It is native to much of the south-central United States ( Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Arkansas, New Mexico) [4] and northern Mexico ( Chihuahua, Coahuila), [5] and it is present elsewhere in North America, Australia, and the West Indies as an introduced species. [4] [6] [7] [8]
Helenium amarum is a multibranched bushy erect plant reaching 20 to 70 centimeters (8-28 inches) in height and thickly foliated in narrow to threadlike leaves. The tops of stem branches hold inflorescences of many daisy-like flower heads. Each head has a rounded center of sometimes as many as 250 golden yellow disc florets and a fringe of 8-10 usually lighter yellow ray florets which are reflexed away from the center. The fruit is a tiny achene about a millimeter long. This herb is weedy in some areas. [5]
The plant is somewhat toxic to mammals [9] and insects [10] due to the presence of the lactone tenulin.