Fetid-marigold

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Dyssodia papposa

Family: Asteraceae Genus: Dyssodia Species: papposa

Synonyms: Dyssodia roseata, Dyssodia chrysanthemifolia, Boebera chrysanthemoides, Boebera ciliosa, Dyssodia ciliosa, Dyssodia fastigiata, Boebera glandulosa, Dyssodia chrysanthemoides, Tagetes papposa, Boebera papposa, Boebera roseata

Fetid-marigold
Fetid-marigold

Western Herbalism Properties

Actions:
analgesic

Traditional Uses

Several Plains and Southwest tribes used Dyssodia papposa medicinally and as a minor food. The Lakota, Dakota, and Omaha applied infusions or chewed plant material for headache, nosebleed, and stomach complaints, and used the strongly scented herb as a veterinary aid for horses (Gilmore, 1919; Munson, 1981). The Chiricahua and Mescalero Apache used the plant as a febrifuge and analgesic, particularly for headache (Castetter and Opler, 1936). The Ramah Navajo used a poultice of the plant as a dermatological aid and an analgesic (Vestal, 1952), and the Western Keres reported use as a gastrointestinal aid (Swank, 1932). Seeds and leaves were occasionally eaten as a minor potherb or forage and ground into meal for breads (Castetter, 1935).

Botanical Description

Dyssodia papposa (fetid marigold, dogweed, prairie dogweed) is a strongly aromatic annual herb in the Asteraceae native to the central and western United States, northern Mexico, and adjacent Canada, extending from the Great Plains and Midwest into the Southwest. It is a much-branched, bushy plant 10-40 cm tall, with slender, often reddish stems. The leaves are opposite at the base and alternate above, pinnately divided into linear, sharply pointed segments 1-3 cm long, with conspicuous round, oil-filled glands that release a pungent, fetid, marigold-like odour when crushed. The flower heads are small, 5-8 mm across, with a cylindrical involucre, 5-8 short yellow ray florets, and a yellow disc; the involucral bracts are likewise marked with dark glands. The fruit is a slender black achene topped with a pappus of dissected scales that ends in bristly awns. It is a common ruderal of overgrazed prairies, dry pastures, roadsides, and disturbed sandy ground.

Native Region: Argentina Northwest, Arizona, Arkansas, Bolivia, California, Colorado, Guatemala, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Masachusettes, Mexico Central, Mexico Gulf, Mexico Northeast, Mexico Northwest, Mexico Southeast, Mexico Southwest, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Ontario, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming

This information is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace professional medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before using any herbal remedy, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, or taking medications.

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