Silphium compositum Michx. - Kidney-leaf Rosinweed
Family - Asteraceae
Stems:
Leaves:
Inflorescence:
N/A
Involucre:
Ray flowers:
Disk flowers:
Flowering - July - September.
Habitat - Flatwoods, sandhills.
Origin - Native to North America.
Other information - This attractive species can be found mainly in the eastern half of Alabama. The plant cand be identified by its large basal rosette of leaves and tall flowering scaps. The leaves vary somewhat in amount of division. The flowering scapes grow to over 2m and bolt quickly at flowering time. This is a characteristic species of pine-flatwoods communities.
The genus name Silphium derives from the Greek "silphi(um)" meaning "a plant with medicinal properties." The name was originally given to some other resinous plant and was transferred to this genus by Linnaeus.
The species epithet compositum means "compound" referring to the divided basal leaves.
Alabama Distribution:
Photographs taken at Fort Benning, GA., 8-11-05.