Eupatorium rotundifolium
Encyclopedia
Eupatorium rotundifolium, commonly called Roundleaf thoroughwort, is a herbaceous perennial plant in Asteraceae
native to the eastern states of the United States in an area from New Jersey to Oklahoma south to Texas to Florida. The stems grow from 40 to over 100 cm tall and are produced from short rhizome
s. The inflorescence
s are composed of a large number of white flower heads with disc florets and no ray florets. Plants can be highly variable due to hybridization, three varieties have been named also.
which may have anti-cancer properties, as well as eupachlorin acetate, a related compound which may also inhibit tumors.
, E. rotundifolium can form hybrids with other species in the genus. In particular, Eupatorium godfreyanum is a hybrid of E. rotundifolium and Eupatorium sessilifolium
.
The plants known as Eupatorium rotundifolium var. saundersii have often been treated as a variety of E. rotundifolium. They can be distinguished based on morphology
, and molecular evidence also suggests that these plants may be different enough from E. rotundifolium to recognize them as a species, Eupatorium pilosum.
Asteraceae
The Asteraceae or Compositae , is an exceedingly large and widespread family of vascular plants. The group has more than 22,750 currently accepted species, spread across 1620 genera and 12 subfamilies...
native to the eastern states of the United States in an area from New Jersey to Oklahoma south to Texas to Florida. The stems grow from 40 to over 100 cm tall and are produced from short rhizome
Rhizome
In botany and dendrology, a rhizome is a characteristically horizontal stem of a plant that is usually found underground, often sending out roots and shoots from its nodes...
s. The inflorescence
Inflorescence
An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches. Strictly, it is the part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are formed and which is accordingly modified...
s are composed of a large number of white flower heads with disc florets and no ray florets. Plants can be highly variable due to hybridization, three varieties have been named also.
Medicine
E. rotundifolium contains euparotin acetate, a guaianolideSesquiterpene lactone
Sesquiterpene lactones are a class of chemical compounds; they are sesquiterpenoids and contain a lactone ring, hence the name....
which may have anti-cancer properties, as well as eupachlorin acetate, a related compound which may also inhibit tumors.
Hybrids and related species
As is common in EupatoriumEupatorium
Eupatorium is a genus of flowering plants in the aster family, Asteraceae, containing from 36 to 60 species depending on the classification system. Most are herbaceous perennial plants growing to 0.5–3 m tall. A few are shrubs. The genus is native to temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere....
, E. rotundifolium can form hybrids with other species in the genus. In particular, Eupatorium godfreyanum is a hybrid of E. rotundifolium and Eupatorium sessilifolium
Eupatorium sessilifolium
Eupatorium sessilifolium, commonly called Upland Boneset or Sessile-leaved Boneset, is a herbaceous perennial plant in the family Asteraceae. This species is native to eastern North America, where it blooms in late summer with white flowers....
.
The plants known as Eupatorium rotundifolium var. saundersii have often been treated as a variety of E. rotundifolium. They can be distinguished based on morphology
Plant morphology
Plant morphology or phytomorphology is the study of the physical form and external structure of plants. This is usually considered distinct from plant anatomy, which is the study of the internal structure of plants, especially at the microscopic level...
, and molecular evidence also suggests that these plants may be different enough from E. rotundifolium to recognize them as a species, Eupatorium pilosum.