Inula salicina L. Willowleaf Yellowhead

Inula salicina L. - Willowleaf Yellowhead

Scientific Description:

Rhizomatous perennial. Stems ± erect, (20−)30−60 cm, usually hirsute at base, sparsely pilose or glabrous above, unbranched or branched only at apex. Leaves ovate-elliptic, 2.5−6 × 1−3 cm, sessile, base cordate and semiamplexicaul, apex acute, and margin scabrous, entire or denticulate, glabrous on both surfaces or sparsely pilose on prominent veins beneath. Capitula radiate, solitary or 2−5, rarely 12 in corymbs. Involucre 1.5−2 cm broad; phyllaries imbricate, 4-seriate, oblong, acute, 5−7 × 1.5−2 mm, hardened at base, herbaceous at apex, often spreading, glabrous, margins finely brownish ciliate; inner ones linear, 7−11 × 0.75−1 mm, thin, finely pubescent or sericeous in upper part, ± erect. Ray flowers 35−70; ligules 10−15 mm. Disc flowers 7.5−9 mm. Achenes finely ribbed, 1.75−2 mm, glabrous. Pappus whitish, 7−8 mm; hairs 40−50, scabrous, connate at base.

 

Flowering time: May−September.

Habitat: Moist ground by streams and amongst shrubs, s.l.−2440 m.

 

Reference:
Grierson AJC (1975). Inula salicina L., In: Davis PH (ed.), Flora of Turkey and the East Aegean Islands, Edinburgh University Press, Edinburgh, 5: 60.

Public Description:

Inula salicina, known as “Irish fleabane” or “willowleaf yellowhead”, is native to Europe and Asia from Portugal to Japan. It is a perennial plant with yellow ray and disc flowers, and grows up to 60 cm in length. It blooms between May and September and is found in moist ground by streams and amongst shrubs. In some scientific studies, anticancer properties of this plant against some tumor cells (colon, breast and liver tumors) have been revealed.

 

References:

Anonymous 1 (2016). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inula_salicina, Accessed date: 11.01.2016.

Mosaddegh M., Ostad SN., Naghibi F., Moghadam MH. (2006). Cytotoxic Effects of Five Species of Inula Against Some Tumor Cell Lines. Iranian Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences. 2(4): 203–208.

Aksoy A, Paksoy Y M (2012). Inula L. In: Güner, A., Aslan, S., Ekim, T., Vural, M. & Babaç, M.T. (eds.), Türkiye Bitkileri Listesi (Damarlı Bitkiler). Nezahat Gökyiğit Botanik Bahçesi ve Flora Araştırmaları Derneği Yayını. İstanbul, pp. 174–176.