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The genus ''Helichrysum'' consists of an estimated 600 species of flowering plants in the sunflower family (Asteraceae). The type species is ''Helichrysum orientale''. They often go by the names everlasting, immortelle, and strawflower. The name is derived from the Anicent Greek words (helios, sun) and (, gold).
It occurs in Africa (with 244 species in South Africa), Madagascar, Australasia and Eurasia. The plants may be annual plant, annuals, herbaceous perennial plant, perennials or shrubs, growing to a height of . The genus was a wastebasket taxon, and many of its members have been reclassified in smaller genera, most notably the Everlastings, now in the genus ''Xerochrysum''.
Their leaf, leaves are oblong to lanceolate. They are flat and pubescent on both sides. The bristles of the pappus are scabrous, barbellate, or plumose.
The receptacle (''base of the flower head'') is often smooth, with a fringed margin, or honey-combed, and resemble daisies. They may be in almost all colors, except blue. There are many inflorescence, capitula and generally flat-topped panicle, corymbs or panicles. The corolla (flower), corolla lobes show glandular hairs at the abaxial surface.
''Helichrysum'' species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including the Bucculatricidae, bucculaticid leaf-miners ''Bucculatrix gnaphaliella'' (which feeds exclusively on ''Helichrysum arenarium'') and ''Bucculatrix helichrysella'' (feeds exclusively on ''H. italicum'') and the ''Coleophora'' case-bearers ''C. caelebipennella'', ''C. gnaphalii'' (feeds exclusively on ''H arenarium'') and ''C. helichrysiella'' (feeds exclusively on ''H. italicum'').
Several species are grown as ornamental plants, and for Flower preservation, dried flowers. When cut young and dried, the open flowers and stalks preserve their colour and shape for long periods.
''Helichrysum italicum'' (synonym ''Helichrysum angustifolium'') is Steam distillation, steam distilled to produce a yellow-reddish essential oil popular in fragrance for its unique scent, best described as herbaceous, sweet, and honey-like. The epithet ''angustifolium'' means narrow leaved. It is commonly misspelled as ''augustifolium''.http://www.floralimages.co.uk/info/botanicallatin.html for more details on botanical naming.
File:Helichrysum moeserianum 2.jpg, ''Helichrysum moeserianum'' in De Hoop N.R., South Africa
File:Helichrysum orientale 2.JPG, ''Helichrysum orientale''
File:Starr 070621-7414 Helichrysum petiolare.jpg, ''Helichrysum petiolare'', Licorice Plant
File:Strawflower.jpg, ''Helichrysum roseo-niveum'' in Namibia
File:Helichrysum setosum.jpg, ''Helichrysum setosum''
File:Helichrysumthianschanicumicicles.jpg, ''Helichrysum thianschanicum'' 'Icicles' on display at the San Diego County Fair, CA, USA
File:Starr 080117-2067 Helichrysum thianschanicum.jpg, ''Helichrysum thianschanicum'' (Icicles leaves) at nursery on Maui
File:Helichrysum umbraculigerum.jpg, ''Helichrysum umbraculigerum''
Xeranthemum annuum
photo
Helichrysum Essential Oil species
PHYLOGENY OF SOUTH AFRICAN GNAPHALIEAE (ASTERACEAE)
* {{Taxonbar, from=Q28195 Helichrysum, Asteraceae genera Taxa named by Philip Miller
Species
Hilliard (1983) divided this large and heterogeneous genus in 30 morphological groups. But the genus remains controversial and is considered by many to be an artificial genus. The taxonomy of this large Polymorphism (biology), polymorphic and probably polyphyletic genus is complex and not yet satisfactorily resolved. Several Australian species, such as ''H. acuminatum'' and ''H. bracteatum'', have been reclassified in the genus ''Xerochrysum'' in 1991, resp. as ''X. subundulatum'' and ''X. bracteatum''. In 1989, misaligned species of ''Helichrysum'' were reclassified in ''Syncarpha''. Species included in ''Pseudognaphalium'', ''Anaphalis'', ''Achyrocline'' and ''Humeocline'' are probably congeneric with ''Helichrysum''. Australian species have also been reclassified to the genus ''Chrysocephalum'', including ''Chrysocephalum semipapposum'' and ''Chrysocephalum apiculatum''.Uses
Several species are grown as ornamental plants, and for Flower preservation, dried flowers. When cut young and dried, the open flowers and stalks preserve their colour and shape for long periods.
''Helichrysum italicum'' (synonym ''Helichrysum angustifolium'') is Steam distillation, steam distilled to produce a yellow-reddish essential oil popular in fragrance for its unique scent, best described as herbaceous, sweet, and honey-like. The epithet ''angustifolium'' means narrow leaved. It is commonly misspelled as ''augustifolium''.http://www.floralimages.co.uk/info/botanicallatin.html for more details on botanical naming.
Gallery
References
Further reading
* HILLIARD, O. 1983. Flora of Southern Africa, Part 7 Inuleae, Fascicle 2 Gnaphaliinae. Government Printer, Pretoria, South Africa. * WILSON, P.G. 1992c. The classification of some Australian species currently included in Helipterum and Helichrysum (Asteraceae: Gnaphalieae): part 3 Anemocarpa and Argentipallium, two new genera from Australia. Nuytsia 8: 447–460. * Mesfin Tadesse & Reilly, T. 1995. 17. A contribution to studies on Helichrysum (Compositae - Gnaphalieae) - a revision of the species of north-east tropical Africa. In: Advances in Compositae Systematics (eds. D.J.H. Hind, C. Jeffrey & G.V. Pope). Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, pp. 379–450.External links
* *Xeranthemum annuum
photo
Helichrysum Essential Oil species
PHYLOGENY OF SOUTH AFRICAN GNAPHALIEAE (ASTERACEAE)
* {{Taxonbar, from=Q28195 Helichrysum, Asteraceae genera Taxa named by Philip Miller