Helenium

Sneezeweeds
Helenium autumnale
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Asterales
Family: Asteraceae
Subfamily: Asteroideae
Tribe: Helenieae
Subtribe: Gaillardiinae
Genus: Helenium
L. 1753 not Mill. 1754[1]
Synonyms[2]
  • Oxylepis Benth.
  • Hecubaea DC.
  • Mesodetra Raf.
  • Grahamia Spreng.
  • Brassavola Adans.
  • Picradenia Hook.
  • Cephalophora Cav.
  • Graemia Hook.
  • Heleniastrum Heist. ex Fabr.
  • Actinea Juss.
  • Actinella Pers.
  • Leptophora Raf.
  • Leptopoda Nutt.
  • Tetrodus Cass.

Helenium is a genus of annuals and herbaceous perennial plants in the family Asteraceae, native to the Americas.[3][4]

They bear yellow or orange daisy-like composite flowers. A number of these species (particularly Helenium autumnale) have the common name sneezeweed, based on the former use of their dried leaves in making snuff. It was inhaled to cause sneezing that would supposedly rid the body of evil spirits. Larger species may grow up to 2 metres (6.6 ft) tall.[5]

The genus is named for Helen of Troy, daughter of Zeus and Leda.[6][7]

Helenium species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including Phymatopus behrensii.

Genus level properties: most conspicuously globe-like disk-shaped flowers, rays three-lobed at tip.

  1. ^ Tropicos, search for Helenium
  2. ^ Flann, C (ed) 2009+ Global Compositae Checklist
  3. ^ Linnaeus, Carl von. 1753. Species Plantarum 2: 886 in Latin
  4. ^ Tropicos, Helenium L
  5. ^ Hughes-Jones 2012, p. 38
  6. ^ Flora of North America Vol. 21 Page 426 Sneezeweed Helenium Linnaeus, Sp. Pl. 2: 886. 1753; Gen. Pl. ed. 5, 377. 1754.
  7. ^ Homer. Circa 760–710 BCE. Iliad.