''Silphium terebinthinaceum'' is a member of the

Asteraceae 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 ...

, a family that includes

sunflowers ''Helianthus'' () is a genus comprising about 70 species of annual and perennial flowering plants in the daisy family Asteraceae commonly known as sunflowers. Except for three South American species, the species of ''Helianthus'' are native to N ...

, and is commonly referred to as prairie dock or prairie rosinweed. It is native to central and eastern North America. "Rosinweed" became one of the plant's common names due to the fact that upon injury, resin flows from the wound, giving the plant a sweet smell. Tea brewed from the roots of the prairie dock have a variety of medical applications in Native American culture. The smoke from this plant has also been used as a treatment for congestion and rheumatism.

Description

''Silphium terebinthinaceum'' is an herbaceous perennial growing tall. Prairie dock produces small yellow flowers about in diameter in the summer. The leaves are rough-textured, spade-shaped, and oriented vertically and in a north-south direction, providing special adaptations for survival in the prairie climate. One study found that the majority of prairie dock's leaves were oriented within 15° of North as well as 60° away from the horizontal. The combination of north-south and vertical arrangement seems to provide a mechanism for maintaining lower leaf temperatures at midday, thus conserving water. Additionally, this unique trait grants the plant better access to sunlight for photosynthesis, and consequently provides a more efficient method of producing its carbon resource. This dicot also has a characteristically large taproot able to penetrate to depths of at least in search of the water table.

Distribution

''Silphium terebinthinaceum'' is native in the United States from Iowa, Missouri, and Arkansas to the west, Wisconsin to the north, Virginia to the east, and Mississippi to the South. In Canada, it is native to Ontario, although it is critically imperiled. The habitats of ''S. terebinthinaceum'' include black soil prairies as well as gravel, shrub, and hill prairies. It also prefers to grow alongside roads and railroads.

Cultivation

''Silphium terebinthinaceum'' prefers full sun. ''S. terebinthinaceum'' is a

drought A drought is defined as drier than normal conditions.Douville, H., K. Raghavan, J. Renwick, R.P. Allan, P.A. Arias, M. Barlow, R. Cerezo-Mota, A. Cherchi, T.Y. Gan, J. Gergis, D. Jiang, A. Khan, W. Pokam Mba, D. Rosenfeld, J. Tierney, an ...

-resistant plant that thrives in slightly dry to moist environments. While ''S. terebinthinaceum'' prefers deep loamy soils, it is tolerant of soils with gravel and rocks. The plant is slow at developing but is strong and difficult to kill when it is mature. Even though it is a robust plant, harsh conditions may still affect this plant. When there is a drought, a windstorm, or damage to the leaves of the ''S. terebinthinaceum'', patches of brown can develop. Recovery after wildfires occurs quickly, as it has a very deep taproot.

Ecology

''Silphium terebinthinaceum'' can survive destructive events such as

grazing In agriculture, grazing is a method of animal husbandry whereby domestic livestock are allowed outdoors to roam around and consume wild vegetations in order to convert the otherwise indigestible (by human gut) cellulose within grass and other ...

and

soil degradation Soil retrogression and degradation are two regressive evolution processes associated with the loss of equilibrium of a stable soil. Retrogression is primarily due to soil erosion and corresponds to a phenomenon where succession reverts the land t ...

because of its ability to produce new above-ground shoots. This plant is also well adapted to obtain and hold onto water due to its characteristically large taproot and large, particularly oriented leaves. Native bees nest beneath or within these plants or use elements of the plants for their nests. Consequently, they are thought to be an important species for attracting bees for pollination in the area. Prairie dock is one of the few species that successfully persists on land that has been converted from prairie to railway.

Medicinal uses

Like ''

Silphium perfoliatum ''Silphium perfoliatum'', the cup plant or cup-plant, is a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae, native to eastern and central North America. It is an erect herbaceous perennial with triangular toothed leaves, and daisy-like yell ...

'' (cup plant), ''S. terebinthinaceum'' is used as a tea to relieve lung bleeding, to minimize menstruation bleeding, and as an emetic by Native Americans. Other root tea uses include a treatment for liver issues, fever, and enlarged spleen. The smoke from this plant is used as a treatment for nerve pain, along with relieving congestion and rheumatism. However, this plant is considered potentially toxic.

Description

Distribution

Cultivation

Ecology

Medicinal uses

References

External links