Medicinal uses Wild sunflower (Verbesina encelioides)

Medicinal uses Wild sunflower (Verbesina encelioides). Wild sunflower (Verbesina encelioides) complete detail. Description of Verbesina encelioides – Wild sunflower – Golden crown beard – Junglee surajmukhi. Verbesina encelioides is a poisonous plant.

Classification of Wild sunflower. Habit and habitat of  Wild sunflower. Local name of Verbesina encelioides is Junglee surajmukhi, Golden crown beard. Verbesina encelioides is a short-lived herbaceous plant, upto 1.5 meter in height. Flowering occurs mainly during spring and summer.

Flower heads are bright yellow and found on elongated stalks and resemble small sunflowers, and are 2.5 to 5 cm in diameter. Seeds are grayish-brown achenes, flat and winged along the margins. Seeds can survive drought and high temperatures, long periods of seed dormancy and high germination rates are reported……………

The plants contain galegine and are poisonous to grazing animals like sheep, goats and other grazing animals. Verbesina encelioides used in the treatment of gum sores, hemorrhoid, spider bites, cancer, gastro-intestinal, disturbance, skin problems etc.

Description

Verbesina encelioides is a short-lived herbaceous plant, upto 1.5 meter in height. The plant does not require large amounts of water and is considered drought tolerant. Stems and younger leaves are covered in fine white hairs that give them a grayish-green appearance. Leaves are mostly triangular or egg-shaped in outline. The lower leaves are paired, while the upper leaves are alternately arranged. Leaves are 4-10 cm long and 1-4 cm wide, sharply-toothed or slightly lobed margins and are borne on short stalks. The upper and lower leaf surfaces are both covered in fine white hairs.

Flowering occurs mainly during spring and summer. Flower heads are bright yellow and found on elongated stalks and resemble small sunflowers, and are 2.5 to 5 cm in diameter. Seeds are grayish-brown achenes, flat and winged along the margins. Seeds can survive drought and high temperatures, long periods of seed dormancy and high germination rates are reported.

Seeds exhibit highest rate of germination in open, disturbed areas with sandy soils. The brown or greyish-brown seeds are flattened, flat, finely hairy and 5-8 mm long. They have two broad pale colored wings and are topped with two fine bristles. The plant is self-and cross-pollinated and reproduces by seeds. Seeds are easily dispersed by light winds, however, a large portion of the seeds will generally remain under or nearby the parent plant.

Classification

Common Name – Golden crown beard or Wild sunflower

Local Name – Junglee surajmukhi

Botanical Name – Verbesina encelioides

Kingdom – Plantae

Subkingdom – Tracheobionta

Division – Magnoliophyta

Class – Magnoliopsida

Subclass – Asteridae

Order – Asterales

Genus – Verbesina

Family – Asteraceae

Distribution

Verbesina encelioides a very widespread introduced species that is mainly found in the eastern parts of Australia and many parts of India. It is naturalized in southern and central Queensland, New South Wales, north-western and central Victoria, south-eastern South Australia, the coastal districts of western and northern Western Australia.

Uses

Verbesina encelioides is a poisonous plant especially for livestock. The plants contain galegine and are poisonous to grazing animals like sheep and goats and other grazing animals.

Verbesina encelioides used in the treatment of gum sores, hemorrhoid, spider bites, cancer, gastro-intestinal, disturbance, skin problems etc. Verbesina encelioides also used as ornamental plant.