Pentanema squarrosum

(Redirected from Ploughman's spikenard)

Pentanema squarrosum, known as ploughman's-spikenard,[1] is a species of plant in the family Asteraceae found in Europe, North Africa, and the Near East.[2][3]

Pentanema squarrosum
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Asterales
Family: Asteraceae
Genus: Pentanema
Species:
P. squarrosum
Binomial name
Pentanema squarrosum
(L.) D.Gut.Larr., Santos-Vicente, Anderb., E.Rico & M.M.Mart.Ort.
Synonyms
  • Aster conyzae Griess.
  • Conyza squarrosa L.
  • Conyza vulgaris Lam.
  • Helenium vulgare Kuntze
  • Inula conyza DC.
  • Inula conyzae (Griess.) Meikle
  • Inula foetida Dulac
  • Inula squarrosa Bernh. ex DC.
  • Inula vulgaris Trevis.
  • Jacobaea canzya (DC.) Merino
  • Inula suaveolens Jacq.
  • Pentanema conyzae (Griess.) D.Gut.Larr., Santos-Vicente, Anderb., E.Rico & M.M.Mart.Ort.

It is a tall, hairy plant (to 1.2 m) that grows on calcareous, low-nutrient, well-drained soils. It is a short lived perennial plant. Before flowering, the basal rosette of leaves resembles those of foxgloves. It flowers after mid-summer in Europe, from July to September.[3] When in flower, the plant has many small flowerheads grouped together into a flat-topped structure that resembles a single flowerhead (pseudanthium). The individual flowerheads have prominent yellow disc florets and no (or inconspicuous) ray florets.[4]

The leaves are burned and used as an insecticide and parasiticide, especially against fleas. Even the smell of the plant is flea repellent. When the root is burned, it becomes a useful room scent (Used this way in Turkey).[5]

References

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  1. ^ BSBI List 2007 (xls). Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland. Archived from the original (xls) on 2015-06-26. Retrieved 2014-10-17.
  2. ^ "Pentanema squarrosum (L.) D.Gut.Larr., Santos-Vicente, Anderb., E.Rico & M.M.Mart.Ort. | Plants of the World Online | Kew Science". Plants of the World Online. Retrieved 2022-07-03.
  3. ^ a b Altervista Flora Italiana, Inula conyzae (Griess.) DC. includes photos and European distribution map
  4. ^ "Ploughman's-spikenard - Inula conyzae". NatureSpot. Retrieved 7 August 2022.
  5. ^ Doğan, Hüseyin (16 September 2019). "Pentanema squarrosum (Gölge andızotu)". Kocaeli Bitkileri (in Turkish).


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