''Heterotheca'', (common names goldenasters, camphorweed, or telegraph weed) are North American plants in the family Asteraceae.
Etymology
''Heterotheca'' comes from Ancient Greek "other, different" and "case, chest", and refers to the fact that, in some species in the genus, the cypselae (
achene
An achene (; ), also sometimes called akene and occasionally achenium or achenocarp, is a type of simple dry fruit produced by many species of flowering plants. Achenes are monocarpellate (formed from one carpel) and indehiscent (they do not ope ...
s containing seed) of the disk and ray florets have different shapes.
Description, biology
These are annual and perennial herbs bearing daisy-like
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 ...
with yellow disc florets and usually yellow ray florets, associated with mesic to xeric habitats across
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 ...
. Several species now included in ''Heterotheca'' were previously classified in the genus ''
Chrysopsis
''Chrysopsis'' (golden asters), are plants in the family Asteraceae native to the southern and eastern United States. All the species are found in Florida, although some are found in other states as well.
These are annual and perennial herbs be ...
''
''Heterotheca'' species are often used as food plants by the larvae of some
Lepidoptera
Lepidoptera ( ) is an order (biology), order of insects that includes butterfly, butterflies and moths (both are called lepidopterans). About 180,000 species of the Lepidoptera are described, in 126 Family (biology), families and 46 Taxonomic r ...
species including ''
Schinia lynx
''Schinia lynx'', the lynx flower moth, is a moth of the family Noctuidae. The species was first described by Augustus Radcliffe Grote in 1881. It is found in North America from Wisconsin, southern Ontario, Quebec and Maine, south to Florida and ...
Schinia saturata
''Schinia saturata'', the brown flower moth, is a moth of the family Noctuidae. The species was first described by Augustus Radcliffe Grote in 1874. It is found in the United States from south Texas to South Dakota, southeast Arizona and from F ...
'' (all of which have been recorded on ''Heterotheca subaxillaris'').
Chemistry
The leaf volatiles from which the name "camphorweed" is derived include
camphor
Camphor () is a waxy, colorless solid with a strong aroma. It is classified as a terpenoid and a cyclic ketone. It is found in the wood of the camphor laurel ('' Cinnamomum camphora''), a large evergreen tree found in East Asia; and in the k ...
, but as a minor constituent (less than 2%); of the 41 documented volatiles in a study of ''
Heterotheca subaxillaris
''Heterotheca subaxillaris'', known by the common name camphorweed, is a North American species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae. It is widespread across much of the United States (from California to Massachusetts) as well as Mexico an ...
borneol
Borneol is a bicyclic organic compound and a terpene derivative. The hydroxyl group in this compound is placed in an '' endo'' position. The exo diastereomer is called isoborneol. Being chiral, borneol exists as enantiomers, both of which are foun ...
, myrcene, and limonene each comprised over 5% of the total.
Species
* ''
Heterotheca barbata
''Heterotheca barbata'', the Spokane false goldenaster, is a very rare North American species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae. It has been found only in the northwestern United States, in eastern Washington and northern Idaho.< ...
Heterotheca brandegeei
''Heterotheca brandegeei'' is a rare Mexican species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae.
The plant is endemic to Mexico, found only in the Sierra San Pedro Martir range in the state of Baja California, in the ''Baja California Norte'' r ...
Heterotheca camporum
''Heterotheca camporum'', known by the common name lemonyellow false goldenaster, is a North American species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae. It is found only in the central United States, primarily the Ozarks, the Cumberland Plateau ...
Heterotheca canescens
''Heterotheca canescens'', common name hoary goldenaster, is a North American species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae. It has been found in northern Mexico (Nuevo León) and in the Great Plains of the central United States (Colorado, ...
'' (DC.) Shinners -
Nuevo León
Nuevo León () is a state in the northeast region of Mexico. The state was named after the New Kingdom of León, an administrative territory from the Viceroyalty of New Spain, itself was named after the historic Spanish Kingdom of León. With a ...
Oklahoma
Oklahoma (; Choctaw language, Choctaw: ; chr, ᎣᎧᎳᎰᎹ, ''Okalahoma'' ) is a U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States, bordered by Texas on the south and west, Kansas on the nor ...
Coahuila
Coahuila (), formally Coahuila de Zaragoza (), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Coahuila de Zaragoza ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Coahuila de Zaragoza), is one of the 32 states of Mexico.
Coahuila borders the Mexican states of N ...
Heterotheca grandiflora
''Heterotheca grandiflora'' is a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae known by the common name silk-grass goldenaster or telegraphweed. It is native to the southwestern United States ( California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona) and nor ...
Nuevo León
Nuevo León () is a state in the northeast region of Mexico. The state was named after the New Kingdom of León, an administrative territory from the Viceroyalty of New Spain, itself was named after the historic Spanish Kingdom of León. With a ...
Nuevo León
Nuevo León () is a state in the northeast region of Mexico. The state was named after the New Kingdom of León, an administrative territory from the Viceroyalty of New Spain, itself was named after the historic Spanish Kingdom of León. With a ...
Guanajuato
Guanajuato (), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Guanajuato ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Guanajuato), is one of the 32 states that make up the Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided into 46 municipalities and its capital city i ...
,
Chihuahua Chihuahua may refer to:
Places
*Chihuahua (state), a Mexican state
**Chihuahua (dog), a breed of dog named after the state
**Chihuahua cheese, a type of cheese originating in the state
**Chihuahua City, the capital city of the state
**Chihuahua Mun ...
,
Sonora
Sonora (), officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Sonora ( en, Free and Sovereign State of Sonora), is one of the 31 states which, along with Mexico City, comprise the Administrative divisions of Mexico, Federal Entities of Mexico. The state is d ...
,
Sinaloa
Sinaloa (), officially the Estado Libre y Soberano de Sinaloa ( en, Free and Sovereign State of Sinaloa), is one of the 31 states which, along with Mexico City, comprise the Administrative divisions of Mexico, Federal Entities of Mexico. It is d ...
,
Jalisco
Jalisco (, , ; Nahuatl: Xalixco), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Jalisco ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Jalisco ; Nahuatl: Tlahtohcayotl Xalixco), is one of the 31 states which, along with Mexico City, comprise the 32 Federal En ...
,
San Luis Potosí
San Luis Potosí (), officially the Free and Sovereign State of San Luis Potosí ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de San Luis Potosí), is one of the 32 states which compose the Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 58 municipalities and i ...
Heterotheca mexicana
''Heterotheca mexicana'' is a rare Mexican species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae. It has been found only in western Durango in northeastern Mexico.Durango
Durango (), officially named Estado Libre y Soberano de Durango ( en, Free and Sovereign State of Durango; Tepehuán: ''Korian''; Nahuatl: ''Tepēhuahcān''), is one of the 31 states which make up the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico, situated in ...
Nuevo León
Nuevo León () is a state in the northeast region of Mexico. The state was named after the New Kingdom of León, an administrative territory from the Viceroyalty of New Spain, itself was named after the historic Spanish Kingdom of León. With a ...
,
Coahuila
Coahuila (), formally Coahuila de Zaragoza (), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Coahuila de Zaragoza ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Coahuila de Zaragoza), is one of the 32 states of Mexico.
Coahuila borders the Mexican states of N ...
Heterotheca pumila
''Heterotheca pumila'', the alpine goldenaster, is a North American species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae. It grows in alpine and subalpine regions in the mountains of the western United States. It has been found the Rocky Mountains ...
Sonora
Sonora (), officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Sonora ( en, Free and Sovereign State of Sonora), is one of the 31 states which, along with Mexico City, comprise the Administrative divisions of Mexico, Federal Entities of Mexico. The state is d ...
Heterotheca shevockii
''Heterotheca shevockii'' is a rare species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae known by the common names Kern Canyon false goldenaster and Shevock's goldenaster. It is endemic to California in the United States, where it is known only fr ...
Oklahoma
Oklahoma (; Choctaw language, Choctaw: ; chr, ᎣᎧᎳᎰᎹ, ''Okalahoma'' ) is a U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States, bordered by Texas on the south and west, Kansas on the nor ...
Heterotheca subaxillaris
''Heterotheca subaxillaris'', known by the common name camphorweed, is a North American species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae. It is widespread across much of the United States (from California to Massachusetts) as well as Mexico an ...
Many species have been included in ''Heterotheca'' at various times in the past, but now regarded as more suitable for other genera. The most common of these is ''
Chrysopsis
''Chrysopsis'' (golden asters), are plants in the family Asteraceae native to the southern and eastern United States. All the species are found in Florida, although some are found in other states as well.
These are annual and perennial herbs be ...
'', but others include ''
Aster
Aster or ASTER may refer to:
Biology
* ''Aster'' (genus), a genus of flowering plants
** List of ''Aster'' synonyms, other genera formerly included in ''Aster'' and still called asters in English
* Aster (cell biology), a cellular structure shap ...
Osbertia
''Osbertia'' is a genus of Mesoamerican flowering plants in the family Asteraceae.Munnozia
''Munnozia'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Asteraceae. It is centered in the Andes
The Andes, Andes Mountains or Andean Mountains (; ) are the longest continental mountain range in the world, forming a continuous highland a ...
Pityopsis
''Pityopsis'' is a genus of North American plants in the tribe Astereae within the family Asteraceae. Species of ''Pityopsis'' are known by the common names silkgrass or golden asters or grass-leaved goldenasters .Tomentaurum.''