Thelesperma filifolium, commonly known as stiff greenthread,[2] or plains greenthread,[3] is a species of flowering plant in the aster family, Asteraceae. It is often found growing in shallow soils. It prefers disturbed sites in dry, sandy or gravelly soil with a neutral to basic pH. Stiff greenthread adapts to various soil conditions, including loam, clay, caliche, and roadsides.[citation needed] It generally flowers from March to August, sometimes into October.[4]
| Thelesperma filifolium | |
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Scientific classification 
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| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Asterales |
| Family: | Asteraceae |
| Genus: | Thelesperma |
| Species: | T. filifolium
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| Binomial name | |
| Thelesperma filifolium | |
| Synonyms[1] | |
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Distribution
editIn Texas, stiff greenthread can be found growing along roadsides and on dry hills in the South Plains and Edwards Plateau regions. The herb grows over much of the plains and mountain states, reaching up to Wyoming, Montana, Nebraska and South Dakota. It grows prolifically on the Navajo, Hopi, and Pueblo lands, as well as throughout much of New Mexico, Arizona and Colorado.[citation needed]
Stiff greenthread is found on disturbed sites on clays or sandy soils, on rocky slopes, and often on limestone, at elevations from 10 to 2200 meters, in South Dakota, Wyoming, Nebraska, Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Coahuila, Nuevo León, San Luis Potosí, and Querétaro.[4][5]
Description
editHaving a taproot, it is extremely resistant to drought, but thrives in rain. The designation greenthread is most appropriate, as it has thin, thread-like leaves. It can be single-stemmed or multi-stemmed, and reaches a height of 12 to 26 inches. The leaves are scattered along the whole stem. The daisy-like, 2 inch, eight-ray flowers are golden-yellow and the numerous disk flowers are reddish to dark brown. The urn-shaped bloom buds droop downward prior to opening. The inner whorl of phyllaries surrounding the lower portion of the bloom is translucent, which allows the colors of the developing flowers to be seen. When open, there are two types of phyllary at the base of the bloom: one is short and green, the other red and long.
Ecology
editThe ripened seeds are a food source for the multi-colored painted bunting. It does not appear to be eaten by deer. It is a larval host for the dwarf yellow butterfly. [6]
Uses
editThe crushed leaves offer a pleasant aroma and can be made into tea, which is sometimes used medicinally by several Native American tribes. This is especially widespread among southwest tribes, where it is named Navajo tea, Hopi tea, or Indian tea.[citation needed]
Stiff greenthread has traditionally been used by Diné (Navajo) and Ndé (Apache) as a tea. For the tea, the stem, leaves, and flowers were steeped, to be used as an astringent, to reduce mucus secretions, to reduce fevers, to treat kidney problems, as a vermifuge, to relieve stomach aches and other digestive ailments, and against sexually transmitted infections. The leaves were chewed to relieve toothache.[7]
References
edit- ^ "Thelesperma filifolium (Hook.) A.Gray". www.worldfloraonline.org. Retrieved 2023-07-10.
- ^ USDA, NRCS (n.d.). "Thelesperma filifolium". The PLANTS Database (plants.usda.gov). Greensboro, North Carolina: National Plant Data Team. Retrieved 9 December 2015.
- ^ "Thelesperma filifolium". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved 2011-02-09.
- ^ a b Strother, John L. (5 November 2020) [2006]. "Thelesperma filifolium". Flora of North America. p. 202. ISBN 978-0-19-530565-4. OCLC 179887145. Retrieved 19 October 2024.
- ^ "Thelesperma filifolium (Hook.) A. Gray". Tropicos. Missouri Botanical Garden. Retrieved 19 October 2024.
- ^ "Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center - The University of Texas at Austin". www.wildflower.org. Retrieved 2019-07-26.
- ^ "Nature Trail Audio Stop 14: Navajo Tea, Cota (Thelesperma filifolium): Ch'ilgohwéhí'deí". New Mexico Historic Sites. New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs. Retrieved 20 October 2024.
External links
edit
Media related to Thelesperma filifolium at Wikimedia Commons
Data related to Thelesperma filifolium at Wikispecies- http://medplant.nmsu.edu/thelesperma.htm
- Artisan Steve Heil grows his own greenthread crop in New Mexico.
