COMPOSITAE (COMPOSITE FAMILY) 



481 



Means of control 



Prevent seed production by pulling or hoe-cutting when in first 

 flower. In cultivated ground the weed is destroyed by the tillage 

 of the crop. 



SNEEZEWEED 

 Helenium autumnale, L. 



Other English names: Sneezewort, Staggerweed, Swamp Sunflower, 

 False Sunflower, Yellow Star. 



Native. Perennial. Propagates by seed. 



Time of bloom: August to October. 



Seed-time : September to November. 



Range: Quebec to Manitoba and the Northwest Territory, south- 

 ward to Florida, Texas, and Arizona. 



Habitat : Wet meadows, swamps, and along streams and ditches. 



The pollen from this plant, when inhaled, causes violent sneezing 

 and the powdered flower-heads are used in medicine for that pur- 

 pose. The weed is poisonous, acrid, and pungently bitter, the 

 flowers especially so. Horses, cattle, 

 and sheep are sometimes killed by it; 

 with milch cows a few mouthfuls are 

 sufficient to taint the dairy products. 

 Animals usually avoid the plant, but 

 it is said that if a little is eaten an ab- 

 normal appetite is quickly formed, and 

 then a sufficient quantity is taken to 

 cause convulsions and death. 



Stems two to five feet tall, slender, 

 very pale green, angled and winged, 

 branching at the top. Leaves alternate, 

 firm, oblong to elliptic, rather coarsely 

 toothed, pointed at both ends, sessile 

 and decurrent on the stems, forming 

 narrow wings. Heads numerous, often 

 nearly two inches broad, borne at the 

 ends of many short branches at the 

 top of the stem ; rays drooping, wedge- j^ 334 _ sneezeweed 

 shaped, three-toothed at the tip, bright (Helenium autumnale). x i. 

 2i 



