Broadleaf arnica facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Broadleaf arnica |
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| Wenatchee National Forest, Washington | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Arnica
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| Species: |
latifolia
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| Synonyms | |
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Synonymy
Arnica aphanactis Piper
Arnica aprica Greene Arnica betonicifolia Greene Arnica eriopoda Gand. Arnica flodmanii Rydb. Arnica glabrata Rydb. Arnica grandifolia Greene Arnica granulifera Rydb. Arnica intermedia Howell ex Rydb. Arnica laevigata Greene Arnica leptocaulis Rydb. Arnica membranacea Rydb. Arnica menziesii Hook. Arnica oligolepis Rydb. Arnica paucibracteata Rydb. Arnica platyphylla A.Nelson Arnica puberula Rydb. Arnica teucriifolia Greene Arnica ventorum Greene |
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Arnica latifolia is a beautiful wild flower. It belongs to the sunflower family. You might know it by its common names like broadleaf arnica or mountain arnica. This plant grows naturally in western North America. You can find it from Alaska all the way down to Mono County, California, and Taos County, New Mexico. It also grows east into the Northwest Territories of Canada. It loves to grow in mountain areas, like forests and open meadows.
What is Broadleaf Arnica?
Arnica latifolia is a perennial herb. This means it's a plant that lives for more than two years. It does not have a woody stem like a tree. It grows from a long underground stem called a rhizome. This rhizome helps the plant spread.
The plant usually has a hairy stem. This stem can grow from 10 to 50 centimeters tall. That's about 4 to 20 inches! It has a bunch of leaves around its base. It also has a few pairs of leaves along the lower part of its stem. The leaves can be lance-shaped. Some are broad and almost heart-shaped. They usually have small teeth along their edges.
Its Flowers
The plant's flowers grow in a group called an inflorescence. Each group has one or more flower heads. These look like small daisies. They are surrounded by special leaves called phyllaries. These phyllaries are often sticky.
Each flower head has a center of yellow disc florets. These are the small, tube-shaped flowers in the middle. Around them are several yellow ray florets. These are the petal-like parts you see. They can be up to 3 centimeters long.
After the flowers bloom, they produce fruit. The fruit is a small, dry seed called an achene. Each achene has a white, feathery top called a pappus. This pappus helps the seeds float away in the wind.
History of Discovery
This plant was first described in 1832. A German-Russian botanist named Gustav Heinrich von Bongard gave it its scientific name. He studied plants collected near Sitka. At that time, Sitka was part of a place called Russian America. Today, Sitka is in Alaska.
Similar Plants
Arnica latifolia can sometimes look like another plant called Arnica cordifolia. However, you can tell them apart by looking closely at their leaves. Each species has slightly different leaf shapes and textures.
