''Porophyllum gracile'' is a species of flowering plant in the family
Asteraceae known by the common names odora and slender poreleaf. It is native to northern Mexico and the southwestern United States from
California to
Texas, where it can be found in rocky and sandy desert scrub habitat.
This species grows into a small, short lived perennial
shrub
A shrub (often also called a bush) is a small-to-medium-sized perennial woody plant. Unlike herbaceous plants, shrubs have persistent woody stems above the ground. Shrubs can be either deciduous or evergreen. They are distinguished from trees ...
with branching slender stems measuring up to about 70 centimeters in maximum length. The stems are hairless and waxy in texture. The sparse waxy leaves are linear in shape and 1 to 5 centimeters in length. The herbage is glandular and aromatic with a strong scent.
Glands located in cavities in the leaves, stems and phyllaries produce several
volatile chemicals that act in
synergy
Synergy is an interaction or cooperation giving rise to a whole that is greater than the simple sum of its parts. The term ''synergy'' comes from the Attic Greek word συνεργία ' from ', , meaning "working together".
History
In Christia ...
to repel insect predators.
The
inflorescence produces narrow
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 ...
which may be nearly 3 centimeters long when in bloom. The flower head is enclosed in five waxy, gland-studded
phyllaries. It bears 20 to 30 flowers, which are disc florets. Each flower is white or purplish and has a long, curling
style protruding from it. The fruit is a cylindrical
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 ...
topped with a
pappus of bristles, the whole unit measuring over one centimeter long. These plants have many branches with numerous thin, wiry, upright stems.
Uses
* The
Seri
Seri or SERI may refer to:
People
*Jean Michaël Seri, an Ivorian professional footballer Places
*Seri Yek-e Zarruk, Iran
*Seri, Bheri, Nepal
*Seri, Karnali, Nepal
*Seri, Mahakali, Nepal
*Seri, Raebareli, a village in Uttar Pradesh, India
Oth ...
call this species and use a tea made from the stems as a remedy for colds and to aid in difficult childbirth. The roots are macerated and used to treat toothache.
* In some
Mexican
Mexican may refer to:
Mexico and its culture
*Being related to, from, or connected to the country of Mexico, in North America
** People
*** Mexicans, inhabitants of the country Mexico and their descendants
*** Mexica, ancient indigenous people ...
markets fresh and dried material is available for sale as a medicinal. It is commonly called "hierba del venado."
These uses may have scientific validity as many members of the Tageteae tribe contain
thiophenes which have proven bactericidal properties.
[Soule, J. A. 1993. ''Systematics of Tagetes (Compositae)''. Ph. D. Dissertation. University of Texas at Austin. Austin, TX.]
References
External links
Jepson Manual TreatmentUSDA Plants ProfilePhoto gallery
Tageteae
{{Tageteae-stub