COMPOSITAE SPANISH NEEDLE 781 



pinnately dissected ; heads many flowered, small, long peduncled ; involucre 

 double, outer of linear scales ; ray flowers yellow or none ; achenes linear, 4- 

 angled, narrowed upward into a beak, nearly smooth, the four downwardly 

 barbed awns usually spreading, shorter than the achenes. 



Distribution. Native to Mexico and tropical America and the southern 

 states, now occurring as far north as Rhode Island to Ohio, southern Iowa and 

 Nebraska. A weed also in southern Europe and Asia. 



Poisonous properties. All of the species are local irritants but especially 

 B. frondosa. 



17. Helenium L. Sneeze-weed. 



Erect branching annual or perennial herbs ; plants often sprinkled with 

 resinous matter ; leaves alternate decurrent on the stem ; branches terminated 

 by a single or corymbose heads, yellow or purple in color ; involucre short and 

 broad but small; bracts in 1 or 2 series, linear or subulate reflexed or spreading; 

 ray flowers pistillate and fertile or neutral, rays 3-5 cleft; disk flowers perfect, 

 fertile, corolla 4-5 toothed ; style branches dilated and truncate at the apex ; 

 achenes top-shaped and ribbed; pappus of 5-8 thin 1-nerved chaffy scales 

 extended into a point. 



About 25 species in North America. All of the species of the genus more 

 or less poisonous. Among these are the H. Bigelovii of Oregon, California, 

 and /-/. nudiflorum from Texas to Kansas, Illinois and Florida. 



Helenium Hoopesii Gray 



A stout perennial from 1-2 feet high, tomentose or pubescent, when young 

 becoming smooth with age ; leaves rather thick, entire oblong lanceolate, the 

 lower spatulate and tapering base, somewhat nerved ; heads large, single or sev- 

 eral; ray flowers fertile, yellow, an inch long; soon reflexed; bracts of the 

 involucre in 2 series. 



Distribution. Common in the Rocky Mountains to eastern Oregon to Cal- 

 ifornia. It covers large stretches between 6,000 and 8,000 feet in the Uintah 

 mountains. 



Poisonous nature. It is said to be poisonous like other species of the genus. 

 Sheep carefully avoid it, feeding on the grass and other herbaceous plants, 

 leaving the plant standing. 



Helenium autiimnale L. Sneeze-weed 



A smooth or pubescent perennial from 1-6 feet high; leaves toothed, lanceo- 

 late to 'obovate, oblong decurrent on the stem, acuminate at the apex; heads 

 numerous, many flowered; radiate; rays yellow, wedge shaped, 3-5 cleft, fertile; 

 disk flowers yellow, involucre small, reflexed; scales linear or awl-shaped; 

 receptacle glabrous or oblong ; achenes pubescent on the angles ; scales of the 

 pappus ovate or acuminate; the variety grandiflorum with larger heads; scales 

 of the pappus narrowed and longer awned. 



Distribution. Common in low meadows and alluvial banks from eastern 

 Canada to South Dakota, Florida to Alabama, and especially common in the 

 northern Mississippi Valley to Kansas. Occurs also in the Rocky Mountains, 

 Wyoming to Montana. The variety in Washington to California. 



Poisonous properties. This plant is considered poisonous to cattle and 

 sheep. Numerous complaints have been made in various parts of the state 

 of Iowa in regard to the poisonous nature of this weed. This plant is more 

 or less bitter, acrid and pungent, especially the flowers. Parts of the plant 



