Wyethia angustifolia
- Scientific Name: Wyethia angustifolia
- Family: Asteraceae
- Common Names: mule’s ears, California compass-plant, narrowleaf wyethia.
- Synonyms/Misapplications: Alarconia angustifolia DC.
- Codon: WYEANG
Contents
Taxonomy
| Scientific classification | |
|---|---|
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Subkingdom: | Viridiplantae |
| Phylum: | Tracheophyta |
| Subphylum: | Spermatophytina |
| Class: | Magnoliopsida |
| Subclass: | Asteranae |
| Order: | Asterales |
| Family: | Asteraceae |
| Genus: | Wyethia Nutt. |
| Species: | Wyethia angustifolia (DC) Nutt. |
| Synonyms | |
| |
Description
General: Tap-rooted, leafy-stemmed perennial, the stems stout but lax, 2-9 dm. tall, the herbage covered with short, stiff, blunt hairs. Leaves: Leaves mostly entire, the basal ones enlarged, with narrow, elongate blades, 1.5-5 dm. long and 2.5-10 cm. wide, tapering at both ends; cauline leaves smaller and variable. Flowers: Heads usually solitary; involucral bracts lance-linear, in several series, herbaceous, with conspicuous hairs on the margins; rays 13-21, chrome-yellow, pistillate and fertile, 1.5-3.5 cm. long; disk flowers light yellow, perfect and fertile; receptacle broadly convex, chaffy throughout, the bracts clasping the achenes; pappus of petal-like appendages. Fruit: Achenes compressed-quadrangular [2]
Bloom Period
April-July[2]
Distribution
Occurring west of the Cascades crest in southwestern Washington, and east in the Columbia River Gorge; Washington to California.[2]
Habitat
Low elevation meadows and moist, open hillsides.[2]
Uses
Raw stems used for food; seeds used for pinole (food) and dried for winter use; decoction of leaves used to reduce fever and induce perspiration; decoction of roots taken as an emetic; poultice of root lather used for lung problems and to draw blisters.[3]
The seed can be dried, ground into a powder and used as a thickener in soups or can be added to cereal flours when making bread etc. Young leaves can be eaten raw. A lemon-yellow dye is obtained from the flowers. A gold to brass dye is obtained from the flowers, leaves and stems.[3]
Propagation
Soak or stratify seed. Seeds should receive cool-moist stratification 90-120 days for proper germination.[4]
Seed
Sample From: 2010
Average Measurement: 7.6 x 2.5 x 2.2
Measurement Range: L: 7 - 8, W: 2 - 3, D: 1.9 - 2.5
Latitudinal Cross Section: circular 
Longitudinal Cross Section: elliptical 
Shape: Seed is long and narrow. Seed is narrow at hilum and broadens at opposite apex.
Additional Structures: Pappus that is attached at apex opposite hilum. Pappus fibers are broad at the base and are attached in a circular pattern. Pappus very brittle, and about ½ the length of the seed body.
Color: Hilum white, seed body medium brown, and pappus is tan to off-white.
Surface: Seed is matte with short bristles that are concentrated toward the pappus. Seed has many longitudinal ridges.
Basic Explanations and Assumptions:
The dimensions for the seeds are length x width x depth. The location of the hilum is used as the base of the seed, and the length is measured from hilum to the opposite apex. Where a style is present, the length is measured from the hilum to the bottom of the style. Width is measured at a right angle to the length at the widest part. Depth is measured at a right angle to the intersection of height and width lines.
Measurements included are the mean average for each measurement of ten separate seeds.
All measurements in millimeters unless otherwise noted.
Photo Gallery[5]
Photo Ben Legler 2005
References
- ↑ Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved from https://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=38675#null
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 WTU Herbarium, Burke Museum, & University of Washington. Retrieved from https://biology.burke.washington.edu/herbarium/imagecollection/taxon.php?Taxon=Wyethia angustifolia
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Native American Ethnobotany Database. Retrieved from http://naeb.brit.org/
- ↑ Native Plants of North America. Retrieved from https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=WYAN
- ↑ https://biology.burke.washington.edu/herbarium/imagecollection/taxon.php?Taxon=Wyethia%20angustifolia
