Wyethia angustifolia

Wyethia angustifolia, Family: Asteraceae, Mule’s ears, California Compass-plant Narrowleaf Wyethia

Taxonomy

Kingdom Plantae – Plants
Subkingdom -Tracheobionta – Vascular plants
Superdivision - Spermatophyta – Seed plants
Division - Magnoliophyta – Flowering plants
Class
Subclass
Order
Family
Genus
Species

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

Bloom Period

Flowering time: April-July
Crop intervals: perennial

Distribution

From the east edge of the Columbia Gorge to the confluence of the Willamette river, south through the Willamette Valley of Oregon to California.

Habitat

The plant prefers light (sandy) and medium (loamy) soils and requires well-drained soil.The plant prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils..It cannot grow in the shade.It requires moist soil.
Meadows and moist, open hillsides at low elevations.

Uses

Raw stems used for food; seeds used for pinole (food) and dried for winter use; decoction of leaves used to reduces fever and induce perspiration; decoction of roots taken as an emetic; poultice of root lather used for lung problems and to draw blisters
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.

Propagation

Soak or stratify seed. Seeds should receive cool-moist stratification 90-120 days for proper germination

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.

Photo Gallery

References

http://plants.usda.gov/java/nameSearch
http://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=WYAN
http://biology.burke.washington.edu/herbarium/imagecollection.php
http://herb.umd.umich.edu/
http://pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Wyethia+angustifolia