Pulicaria dysenterica

Pulicaria dysenterica, the common fleabane,[1] or, in North America, meadow false fleabane,[2] is a species of fleabane in the family Asteraceae. It is native to Europe and western Asia where it grows in a variety of habitats ranging from semi-arid Mediterranean woodlands to wetter situations.[3] Pulicaria dysenterica is perennial and can form dense clusters of plants, spreading by its roots. It flowers at its maximum height of about 60 centimetres (2.0 ft).[4] Leaves are alternately arranged and clasp the stem, which itself contains a salty-astringent liquid. The yellow inflorescences are typically composed of a prominent centre of 40–100 disc florets surrounded by 20–30 narrow, pistillate ray florets. When setting seed the flower heads reflex.[5]

Pulicaria dysenterica
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Asterales
Family: Asteraceae
Genus: Pulicaria
Species:
P. dysenterica
Binomial name
Pulicaria dysenterica

Common fleabane is the main food plant for the fleabane tortoise beetle (Cassida murraea),[6] and for four micromoths, Apodia bifractella,[7] Ptocheuusa paupella,[8] dusky plume (Oidaematophorus lithodactyla)[9] and Digitivalva pulicariae.[10]

Fleabane's common name comes from its former use as an incense to drive away insects.[5] Other past uses include treatments for dysentery and unspecified ocular maladies.[3]

References
  1. BSBI List 2007 (xls). Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland. Archived from the original (xls) on 2015-06-26. Retrieved 2014-10-17.
  2. USDA, NRCS (n.d.). "Pulicaria dysenterica". The PLANTS Database (plants.usda.gov). Greensboro, North Carolina: National Plant Data Team. Retrieved 16 October 2015.
  3. "Fleabane (Pulicaria Dysenterica, Gray)".
  4. "Pulicaria dysenterica Fleabane, Meadow false fleabane PFAF Plant Database".
  5. "Pulicaria in Flora of North America @". Efloras.org. Retrieved 2022-05-01.
  6. "Cassida murraea Linnaeus, 1767 | UK Beetle Recording".
  7. "Apodia bifractella - UKMoths".
  8. "Ptocheuusa paupella - UKMoths".
  9. "Dusky Plume Oidaematophorus lithodactyla - UKMoths".
  10. "Digitivalva pulicariae - UKMoths".

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