Pseudognaphalium californicum
Encyclopedia
Pseudognaphalium californicum (syn.
Gnaphalium californicum) is a species of flowering plant in the daisy family
known by several common names, including ladies' tobacco, California rabbit tobacco, California cudweed, and California everlasting. It is native to the west coast of North America from Washington to Baja California
, where it is a member of the flora of many habitats, including chaparral
. This is an annual or biennial herb growing a branching stem reaching 20 to 80 centimeters in height. Stem branches bear linear to somewhat lance-shaped leaves 2 to 20 centimeters long. The green herbage is glandular and scented. The inflorescence
is a wide cluster of flower heads
, each enveloped in an involucre of rows of bright white phyllaries
. Commonly used as a home remedy it can be smoked or brewed in a tea. it is known to help common ailments such as the common cold,influenza,sore throat,a bug. Also some people smoke it to soothe the need to smoke less healthy things.
Classification is disputed between the genera Pseudognaphalium
and Gnaphalium
.
Synonym (taxonomy)
In scientific nomenclature, a synonym is a scientific name that is or was used for a taxon of organisms that also goes by a different scientific name. For example, Linnaeus was the first to give a scientific name to the Norway spruce, which he called Pinus abies...
Gnaphalium californicum) is a species of flowering plant in the daisy family
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...
known by several common names, including ladies' tobacco, California rabbit tobacco, California cudweed, and California everlasting. It is native to the west coast of North America from Washington to Baja California
Baja California
Baja California officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Baja California is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is both the northernmost and westernmost state of Mexico. Before becoming a state in 1953, the area was known as the North...
, where it is a member of the flora of many habitats, including chaparral
Chaparral
Chaparral is a shrubland or heathland plant community found primarily in the U.S. state of California and in the northern portion of the Baja California peninsula, Mexico...
. This is an annual or biennial herb growing a branching stem reaching 20 to 80 centimeters in height. Stem branches bear linear to somewhat lance-shaped leaves 2 to 20 centimeters long. The green herbage is glandular and scented. 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...
is a wide cluster of flower heads
Head (botany)
The capitulum is considered the most derived form of inflorescence. Flower heads found outside Asteraceae show lesser degrees of specialization....
, each enveloped in an involucre of rows of bright white phyllaries
Bract
In botany, a bract is a modified or specialized leaf, especially one associated with a reproductive structure such as a flower, inflorescence axis, or cone scale. Bracts are often different from foliage leaves. They may be smaller, larger, or of a different color, shape, or texture...
. Commonly used as a home remedy it can be smoked or brewed in a tea. it is known to help common ailments such as the common cold,influenza,sore throat,a bug. Also some people smoke it to soothe the need to smoke less healthy things.
Classification is disputed between the genera Pseudognaphalium
Pseudognaphalium
Pseudognaphalium is a genus of flowering plants in the Asteraceae family. Members of the genus are commonly known as cudweeds.Classification of a number of species is disputed between Pseudognaphalium and the related genus Gnaphalium....
and Gnaphalium
Gnaphalium
Gnaphalium is a genus of flowering plants in the daisy family, Asteraceae. It contains about 120 species, which are commonly called cudweeds...
.