Agoseris aurantiaca facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Agoseris aurantiaca
Agoseris aurantiaca var. aurantiaca
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Eudicots
(unranked):	Asterids
Order:	Asterales
Family:	Asteraceae
Subfamily:	Cichorioideae
Tribe:	Cichorieae
Genus:	Agoseris
Species:	A. aurantiaca
Binomial name
Agoseris aurantiaca (Hook.) Greene
Synonyms
Synonymy Agoseris angustissima Greene Agoseris arachnoidea Rydb. Agoseris arizonica (Greene) Greene Agoseris attenuata Rydb. Agoseris carnea Rydb. Agoseris confinis Greene Agoseris frondifera Osterh. Agoseris gaspensis Fernald Agoseris gracilens (A.Gray) Kuntze Agoseris gracilens (A.Gray) Greene Agoseris gracilenta Greene Agoseris graminifolia Greene Agoseris greenei (A.Gray) Rydb. Agoseris howellii Greene Agoseris humilis Rydb. 1905 not (Benth.) Kuntze 1891 Agoseris lackschewitzii Douglass M.Hend. & R.K.Moseley Agoseris longirostris Greene Agoseris nana Rydb Agoseris naskapensis J.Rousseau & Raymond Agoseris prionophylla Greene Agoseris purpurea (A.Gray) Greene Agoseris roseata Rydb. Agoseris subalpina G.N.Jones Agoseris vulcanica Greene Microrhynchus aurantiacus Fisch. & C.A.Mey. Microrhynchus purpureus A.Gray Microrhynchus troximoides Torr. & A.Gray Stylopappus pumilus D.Dietr. Troximon arachnoideum (Rydb.) A.Nelson Troximon arizonicum Greene Troximon aurantiacum Hook. Troximon gracilens A.Gray Troximon purpureum (A.Gray) Greene

Agoseris aurantiaca is a species of plant in the sunflower family, commonly called orange agoseris or mountain dandelion. It is widespread and common in western North America from Alaska and the Northwest Territories in Canada southward to California, Arizona, and New Mexico, and eastward as far as the Rocky Mountains and the Black Hills. There are also isolated populations in the Chic-Choc Mountains on the Gaspe Peninsula and in the Otish Mountains of central Quebec.

Agoseris aurantiaca is primarily a species of mountainous regions and may be found in wet to dry habitats. It is a perennial herb producing a basal rosette of leaves. There is no stem, but it does produce several stem-like peduncles, each peduncle bearing a single flower head surrounded by glabrous to hairy phyllaries. The head is ligulate, containing several ray florets but no disc florets. The florets are most commonly orange but are occasionally yellow, pink, red, or purple. "Aurantiaca" means "orange-red". The flower head matures into a ball-like head of beaked achenes, each with a terminal pappus of numerous, white bristles.

Varieties

• Agoseris aurantiaca var. aurantiaca - most of species range
• Agoseris aurantiaca var. purpurea (A.Gray) Cronquist - southern Rocky Mountains

Use among Native Americans

A cold infusion of this plant is used by the Ramah Navajo for protection against witches.