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Species Image Gallery (opens in a new window) |
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| THE SUNFLOWER FAMILY | ||
| The sunflowers are found around the
globe in many different places, from temperate climates, like in Saskatchewan,
to mountains or in dry regions. The sunflower family is very large and contains
about 19,000 species! As you can imagine, the plants in this family can
look very different from one another. The sunflowers can be shrubs or herbs,
with many different leaf shapes and flower colours. One thing that is common
to all sunflowers is the type of flower arrangement. In this family, there
are many flowers grouped together into a head, like the one you see on a
daisy. It looks like one flower from a distance, but when you get close
you will see that it is actually made up of many, small flowers. The head
may have ray flowers on the outside and disc flowers on the inside, or only
one of the two kinds. Many of the seeds, like the dandelion, have a fluffy
structure attached to the seed. This is called the pappus and helps the
seeds to spread in the wind. You probably know a lot of plants in the sunflower family. Sunflowers can be plants you eat or plants that you may grow in the yard. For example, did you know that lettuce is from the sunflower family? So are the marigolds in the garden! Maybe you have heard of Echinacea? It is a plant in the sunflower family that is used to make medicine. Some of the sunflowers are also weeds, like the dandelion. |
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| HYSSOPLEAF FLEABANE | ||
| LATIN NAME: Erigeron hyssopifolius | ||
| WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE? | ||
| Hyssopleaf fleabane is 15 to 35 cm tall. The stem is thin and can be tufted or solitary. All of the leaves are attached along the stem. The leaves are not stalked and are largest and most crowded about halfway up the stem. Sometimes on the higher part of the stem new leaves may be formed where the leaves and the stem meet. The leaves are 1 to 3 cm long and 2 to 3 mm wide and are spoon-shaped. The leaves are mostly hairless, though they may be slightly hairy on some plants. There are two to many heads on slender stalks. The bracts are thin and mainly hairless. There are 20 to 50 purple or white ray flowers that are 4 to 8 mm long. The pappus is in one row. | ||
| WHERE DOES IT GROW? | ||
| Hyssopleaf fleabane grows in bogs, muskegs, and fens. | ||
| WHERE IS IT FOUND IN SASKATCHEWAN? | ||
| This plant is found in a large range in Saskatchewan from the northern part of the province, near Lake Athabasca to central Saskatchewan. It is found in these ecoregions: Boreal Transition, Mid-Boreal Upland, Mid-Boreal Lowland, Churchill River Upland, Athabasca Plain, Selwyn Lake Upland. | ||
| WHY IS IT RARE? | ||
| Although this plant is found in a large range in the province; however, it is not very common and is considered threatened. | ||
| HOW TO IDENTIFY HYSSOPLEAF FLEABANE | ||
| * Are the ray flowers purple or white? * Are the leaves largest in the middle of the stem? * Are the leaves 1 to 3 cm long * Did you find it in a bog, muskeg or fen in northern to central Saskatchewan? |
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| If you answered yes to all of these questions, you may have found hyssopleaf fleabane! | ||
