Parthenium
Genus of plants
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Parthenium is a genus of North American annuals, biennials, perennials, subshrubs, and shrubs in the tribe Heliantheae within the family Asteraceae and subfamily Asteroideae.[4][2][3][5]
| Parthenium | |
|---|---|
| Parthenium hysterophorus | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Asterales |
| Family: | Asteraceae |
| Subfamily: | Asteroideae |
| Tribe: | Heliantheae |
| Subtribe: | Ambrosiinae |
| Genus: | Parthenium L. |
| Type species | |
| Parthenium hysterophorus[1][2] | |
| Synonyms[3] | |
| |
The name Parthenium is an evolution of the Ancient Greek name παρθένιον (parthenion), which referred to Tanacetum parthenium.[6][7][8] The name is possibly derived from the Greek word παρθένος (parthenos) which means "virgin".[5]
Members of the genus are commonly known as feverfew.[9] Notable species include guayule (P. argentatum) which has been used as a rubber substitute, especially during the Second World War;[10] and also P. hysterophorus, a serious invasive species in the Old World.[11]
Species
These include:[3]
- Parthenium alpinum (Nutt.) Torr. & A.Gray – Arkansas River feverfew - NM CO WY
- Parthenium argentatum A.Gray – Guayule - TX, Coahuila, Guanajuato, Nuevo León, San Luis Potosí, Zacatecas
- Parthenium cineraceum Rollins - Bolivia, Paraguay
- Parthenium confertum A.Gray – Gray's feverfew - AZ NM TX Chihuahua, Coahuila, Nuevo León, San Luis Potosí, Querétaro, Tamaulipas
- Parthenium fruticosum Less. - from Tamaulipas to Chiapas
- Parthenium hysterophorus L. – Santa Maria feverfew, whitetop weed - widespread in North + South America; as an invasive species in India, Australia, and Africa
- Parthenium incanum Kunth – mariola - NV UT AZ NM TX Chihuahua, Coahuila, Durango, Hidalgo, Nuevo León, San Luis Potosí, Zacatecas
- Parthenium integrifolium L. – American feverfew, wild quinine - from TX to MA + MN
- Parthenium ligulatum (M.E. Jones) Barneby – Colorado feverfew - CO UT
- Parthenium rollinsianum Rzed. - San Luis Potosí
- Parthenium schottii Greenm. ex Millsp. & Chase - Yucatán
- Parthenium tomentosum DC. - Oaxaca, Puebla
Importance
In North America, the Jicarilla Apache people used Parthenium incanum for medicine (Opler 1946: 8). The sap of guayule (P. argentatum) is a source of natural rubber.[12] Parthenium hysterophorus is a common invasive species in India, Australia, and parts of Africa. Its pollen can cause allergies and the sap is toxic.