Grindelia squarrosa facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Grindelia squarrosa |
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| Curlycup gumweed (Grindelia squarrosa) | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Grindelia
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| Species: |
squarrosa
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| Synonyms | |
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Synonymy
Donia squarrosa Pursh 1813
Aurelia amplexicaulis Cass. Aurelia squarrosa Cass. ex Steud. Grindelia aphanactis Rydb. Grindelia arguta A.Gray Grindelia nuda Alph.Wood Grindelia pinnatifida Wooton & Standl. Grindelia serrulata Rydb. |
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Grindelia squarrosa, also known as a curly-top gumweed or curlycup gumweed, is a small North American biennial or short-lived perennial plant.
It is native to western and central North America, from British Columbia east to Québec and New England, and south as far as California, New Mexico, Arizona, Chihuahua, and Texas. The species may possibly be naturalized in much of the eastern part of that distribution.
Description
Grindelia squarrosa is often found in disturbed roadsides, streamsides; 700–2,300 metres (2,300–7,500 ft) in elevation. It is a decumbent to erect, much-branched perennial herb or subshrub up to 100 cm (40 inches) tall. The 1.5–7 cm leaves are gray-green, crenate with each tooth having a yellow bump near its tip, and resinous.
Grindelia squarrosa produces numerous flower heads in open, branching arrays. Each head usually contains 12-40 yellow ray flowers, though sometimes the rays are absent. These surround many small disc flowers. The plant blooms from July through late September.
Varieties
- Grindelia squarrosa var. quasiperennis
- Grindelia squarrosa var. serrulata
- Grindelia squarrosa var. squarrosa
Uses
Grindelia squarrosa is listed by the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center Native Plant Information Network (NPIN) as of "Special Value to Native Bees."
The plant concentrates selenium, and can be toxic when ingested by cattle, humans, and other mammals.
The plant is being explored as a potential source of biofuel due to its high content of mono- and di-terpenes which can be converted to a fuel analogous to kerosene or jet fuel. The plant's adaptation to arid climates makes it an attractive option as its cultivation in desert areas would not compete with traditional food crops.
The resin has been used to treat poison ivy rashes topically.
Native American medicinal plant
The flowers and leaves are used by Great Plains Tribes as a medicinal herb to treat illnesses such as asthma, bronchitis or skin rashes. The powdered flowers were also once smoked in cigarettes to ease asthmatic symptoms.
It is used as a traditional medicinal plant by Shoshone peoples in various regions. The Gosiute language name for the plant is mu’-ha-kûm. The Lakota language name for the plant is pteíčhiyuȟa.
See also
In Spanish: Grindelia squarrosa para niños
