''Erechtites'' is a genus of flowering plants in the

daisy family The family Asteraceae, alternatively Compositae, consists of over 32,000 known species of flowering plants in over 1,900 genera within the order Asterales. Commonly referred to as the aster, daisy, composite, or sunflower family, Compositae w ...

known commonly as fireweeds or burnweeds. They are native to the

Americas The Americas, which are sometimes collectively called America, are a landmass comprising the totality of North and South America. The Americas make up most of the land in Earth's Western Hemisphere and comprise the New World. Along with th ...

and

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

, but some species are widely distributed weeds.

Description

''Erechtites'' consists of annual or perennial herbs with large

taproots A taproot is a large, central, and dominant root from which other roots sprout laterally. Typically a taproot is somewhat straight and very thick, is tapering in shape, and grows directly downward. In some plants, such as the carrot, the taproo ...

and very often with a pungent odor. Leaves are usually ovate or lanceolate (sometimes pinnately lobed or pinnatifid).

Flower heads A pseudanthium (Greek for "false flower"; ) is an inflorescence that resembles a flower. The word is sometimes used for other structures that are neither a true flower nor a true inflorescence. Examples of pseudanthia include flower heads, compos ...

may sometimes contain as many as 100 yellow or white (rarely pink) disc florets but no ray florets.

Taxonomy and species

Some species in this genus are treated as members of '' Senecio'' by some authors, and several other species are considered variants of ''

Erechtites hieraciifolius ''Erechtites hieraciifolius'' (fireweed, American burnweed, or pilewort) is a plant in the daisy family, Asteraceae. It is native to the Americas, but is found many places around the world having been introduced by human activity. It is introduce ...

'', so there may be as few as 5 distinct species in this genus. In particular, not all authors agree on whether to include a dozen or so species native to

and New Zealand in ''Erechtites''. ;Species 27 species are recognised by Plants of the World Online *''

Erechtites apargiifolius ''Erechtites'' is a genus of flowering plants in the daisy family known commonly as fireweeds or burnweeds. They are native to the Americas and Australia, but some species are widely distributed weeds. Description ''Erechtites'' consists of annu ...

'' -

*''

Erechtites atkinsoniae ''Erechtites'' is a genus of flowering plants in the daisy family known commonly as fireweeds or burnweeds. They are native to the Americas and Australia, but some species are widely distributed weeds. Description ''Erechtites'' consists of annu ...

'' -

*''

Erechtites bathurstianus ''Erechtites'' is a genus of flowering plants in the daisy family known commonly as fireweeds or burnweeds. They are native to the Americas and Australia, but some species are widely distributed weeds. Description ''Erechtites'' consists of annu ...

'' -

*''

Erechtites bukaensis ''Erechtites'' is a genus of flowering plants in the daisy family known commonly as fireweeds or burnweeds. They are native to the Americas and Australia, but some species are widely distributed weeds. Description ''Erechtites'' consists of annu ...

'' - Solomon Islands *''

Erechtites diversifolius ''Erechtites'' is a genus of flowering plants in the daisy family known commonly as fireweeds or burnweeds. They are native to the Americas and Australia, but some species are widely distributed weeds. Description ''Erechtites'' consists of annu ...

'' - New Zealand *''

Erechtites glabrescens ''Erechtites'' is a genus of flowering plants in the daisy family known commonly as fireweeds or burnweeds. They are native to the Americas and Australia, but some species are widely distributed weeds. Description ''Erechtites'' consists of annu ...

'' -

*''

Erechtites glomeratus ''Erechtites glomeratus'', common name New Zealand fireweed, or cutleaf burnweed, or (in Australia) fireweed or Cluster-headed fireweed, is a species of plant in the sunflower family. It is native to Australia (all 6 states) and New Zealand, and ...

'' -

, New Zealand *''

Erechtites glossanthus ''Erechtites'' is a genus of flowering plants in the daisy family known commonly as fireweeds or burnweeds. They are native to the Americas and Australia, but some species are widely distributed weeds. Description ''Erechtites'' consists of annu ...

'' -

*''

Erechtites goyazensis ''Erechtites'' is a genus of flowering plants in the daisy family known commonly as fireweeds or burnweeds. They are native to the Americas and Australia, but some species are widely distributed weeds. Description ''Erechtites'' consists of annu ...

'' - South America *''

Erechtites gunnii ''Erechtites'' is a genus of flowering plants in the daisy family known commonly as fireweeds or burnweeds. They are native to the Americas and Australia, but some species are widely distributed weeds. Description ''Erechtites'' consists of annu ...

'' -

*''

'' -

North America North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere and almost entirely within the Western Hemisphere. It is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South America and the Car ...

, South America, West Indies; introduced in Europe and Asia *''

Erechtites hispidulus ''Erechtites'' is a genus of flowering plants in the daisy family known commonly as fireweeds or burnweeds. They are native to the Americas and Australia, but some species are widely distributed weeds. Description ''Erechtites'' consists of annu ...

'' -

*''

Erechtites ignobilis ''Erechtites'' is a genus of flowering plants in the daisy family known commonly as fireweeds or burnweeds. They are native to the Americas and Australia, but some species are widely distributed weeds. Description ''Erechtites'' consists of annu ...

'' - South America *''

Erechtites kermadecensis ''Erechtites'' is a genus of flowering plants in the daisy family known commonly as fireweeds or burnweeds. They are native to the Americas and Australia, but some species are widely distributed weeds. Description ''Erechtites'' consists of annu ...

'' - Kermadec Islands *''

Erechtites laceratus ''Erechtites'' is a genus of flowering plants in the daisy family known commonly as fireweeds or burnweeds. They are native to the Americas and Australia, but some species are widely distributed weeds. Description ''Erechtites'' consists of annu ...

'' -

*'' Erechtites leptanthus'' - Chile *''

Erechtites minimus ''Senecio minimus'' (syn. ''Erechtites minumus''), commonly known as toothed fireweed and coastal burnweed, is a species of plant in the sunflower family. It is native to Australia (all 6 states) and New Zealand, and also naturalized on the Pac ...

'' -

, New Zealand *'' Erechtites missionum'' - South America *''

Erechtites petiolatus ''Erechtites'' is a genus of flowering plants in the Asteraceae, daisy family known commonly as fireweeds or burnweeds. They are native to the Americas and Australia, but some species are widely distributed weeds. Description ''Erechtites'' cons ...

'' - South America *''

Erechtites picridioides ''Erechtites'' is a genus of flowering plants in the daisy family known commonly as fireweeds or burnweeds. They are native to the Americas and Australia, but some species are widely distributed weeds. Description ''Erechtites'' consists of ann ...

'' -

*''

Erechtites quadridentatus ''Erechtites'' is a genus of flowering plants in the daisy family known commonly as fireweeds or burnweeds. They are native to the Americas and Australia, but some species are widely distributed weeds. Description ''Erechtites'' consists of annu ...

'' -

, Java *'' Erechtites runcinatus'' - Mexico *''

Erechtites scaberulus ''Erechtites'' is a genus of flowering plants in the daisy family known commonly as fireweeds or burnweeds. They are native to the Americas and Australia, but some species are widely distributed weeds. Description ''Erechtites'' consists of annu ...

'' - New Zealand *''

Erechtites sonchoides ''Erechtites'' is a genus of flowering plants in the daisy family known commonly as fireweeds or burnweeds. They are native to the Americas and Australia, but some species are widely distributed weeds. Description ''Erechtites'' consists of annu ...

'' -

, New Zealand *''

Erechtites tenuiflorus ''Erechtites'' is a genus of flowering plants in the daisy family known commonly as fireweeds or burnweeds. They are native to the Americas and Australia, but some species are widely distributed weeds. Description ''Erechtites'' consists of ann ...

'' -

*''

Erechtites valerianifolius ''Erechtites valerianifolius'', common name tropical burnweed is a New World species of plants in the sunflower family. It is native to Mexico, Central America, South America, and the West Indies. It is also naturalized as a weed in much of the ...

'' - Mexico, South America, Central America *''

Erechtites wairauensis ''Erechtites'' is a genus of flowering plants in the daisy family known commonly as fireweeds or burnweeds. They are native to the Americas and Australia, but some species are widely distributed weeds. Description ''Erechtites'' consists of ann ...

'' - New Zealand Alternatively, a more limited genus circumscription restricts the genus to New World species and only recognises six species in two sections: * ''Erechtites'' sect. ''Erechtites'' ** ''Erechtites hieracifolius'' ** ''Erechtites missionis'' ** ''Erechtites valerianifolius'' ** ''Erechtites petiolatus'' * ''Erechtites'' sect. ''Goyazenses'' Belcher ** ''Erechtites goyazensis'' ** ''Erechtites ignobilis'' The genus name ''Erechtites'' is considered

masculine Masculinity (also called manhood or manliness) is a set of attributes, behaviors, and roles associated with men and boys. Masculinity can be theoretically understood as socially constructed, and there is also evidence that some behaviors con ...

by some botanists and

feminine Femininity (also called womanliness) is a set of attributes, behaviors, and roles generally associated with women and girls. Femininity can be understood as socially constructed, and there is also some evidence that some behaviors considered fe ...

by others. Hence some species names may end in "-us" or "-a," for example, ''

'' versus ''E. valerianifolia.'' International Code of Botanical Nomenclature (Art. 62.4) specifies that generic names ending in "-ites" are to be treated as masculine, hence the "-us" ending in such cases is to be preferred over the "-a" ending.International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants (Melbourne Code)
article 62.4

References

External links

USDA Plants Profile
Senecioneae Asteraceae genera {{Senecioneae-stub