Helichrysum arenarium (L.) Moench

Strawflower (en), Immortelle des sables (fr), Gnaphale des sables (fr), Hélichryse des sables (fr)

Species

Angiosperms > Asterales > Asteraceae > Helichrysum

Characteristics

Herbs, perennial. Rhizome woody, more often thick, 5-7(-15) mm in diam., or much thinner, only 1-4 mm in diam. Flowering stems few or many, erect or ascending, unbranched, 10-60 cm tall, at very base sometimes with decayed leaves; entire plant tomentose-lanate, usually forming ± dense clusters. Leaves at apex with a small brownish cusp, gradually diminishing upward; upper and middle ones sessile, lanceolate-linear, oblong-obovate, or oblong-elliptic, gradually narrowed toward base. Capitula (5-)10-30(-100) arranged in compact or slightly branching loose corymb, subspherical or widely obovate, (3-)4-6(-9) mm in diam., on peduncles of indefinite length; in young state corymbs capitate, usually surrounded by a few terminal leaves. Phyllaries ca. 50, slightly loosely arranged in (3 or)4-6(or 7) rows, often with declined tip at end of anthesis, bright lemon-yellow, more pallid yellow, pinkish, or orange; outer ones obovate or elliptic, abaxially densely villous, apex rounded; inner ones widely oblong-spatulate to sublinear. Florets (25-)35-45(-50), almost always bisexual, sometimes marginal florets female. Achenes papillate. Pappus of ca. 30 very thin soft scabrid yellowish or almost white hairs, approximately as long as corolla. Fl. Jul-Sep. 2n = 56.
More
A herb. It keeps growing from year to year. The rhizome is woody. It grows 10-60 cm tall. It forms clusters. There can be a few or many flowering stems.
Life form perennial
Growth form herb
Growth support -
Foliage retention evergreen
Sexuality hermaphrodite
Pollination entomogamy
Spread barochory
Mature width (meter) -
Mature height (meter) 0.2 - 0.4
Root system rhizome
Rooting depth (meter) -
Root diameter (meter) -
Flower color
Blooming months
JanFebMar
AprMayJun
JulAugSep
OctNovDec
Fruit color -
Fruiting months -
Nitrogen fixer -
Photosynthetic pathway c3

Environment

It is a temperate plant. In western China it grows on grassy slopes between 400-2,400 m above sea level.
More
Dry sandy places, heaths, dunes, pine forests etc.
Light 7-9
Soil humidity 1-6
Soil texture 4-6
Soil acidity 2-6
Soil nutriment -
Hardiness (USDA) 4-5

Usage

The yellow flowers are dried and added to herbal tea for colour. The leaves are dried for tea.
Uses medicinal ornamental tea
Edible flowers leaves
Therapeutic use Cancer (unspecified), Cholagogue (unspecified), Diuretic (unspecified), Worms (unspecified), Astringent (unspecified), Insecticide (unspecified), Cancer(Breast) (unspecified)
Human toxicity -
Animal toxicity -

Cultivation

Can be grown by divisions or seedlings.
Mode divisions seedlings
Germination duration (days) 7 - 10
Germination temperacture (C°) 18 - 23
Germination luminosity light
Germination treatment -
Minimum temperature (C°) -35
Optimum temperature (C°) -
Size -
Vigor -
Productivity -

Images

Habit

Helichrysum arenarium habit picture by Andrzej Konstantynowicz (cc-by-sa)
Helichrysum arenarium habit picture by Sans Attaches (cc-by-sa)
Helichrysum arenarium habit picture by Andrzej Konstantynowicz (cc-by-sa)

Leaf

Helichrysum arenarium leaf picture by Benjowski René (cc-by-sa)
Helichrysum arenarium leaf picture by Krzysztof Golucki (cc-by-sa)
Helichrysum arenarium leaf picture by Andrzej Konstantynowicz (cc-by-sa)

Flower

Helichrysum arenarium flower picture by Agnieszka Bruska (cc-by-sa)
Helichrysum arenarium flower picture by Ania (cc-by-sa)
Helichrysum arenarium flower picture by Agnieszka Bruska (cc-by-sa)

Fruit

Helichrysum arenarium fruit picture by Nils Havertz (cc-by-sa)

Distribution

Helichrysum arenarium world distribution map, present in China and France

Identifiers

LSID urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:209147-1
WFO ID wfo-0000090226
COL ID 3K6DC
BDTFX ID 75162
INPN ID 101063
Wikipedia (EN) Link
Wikipedia (FR) Link

Synonyms

Gnaphalium buchtormense Gnaphalium arenarium Gnaphalium ignescens Gnaphalium ascendens Gnaphalium elichrysum Gnaphalium aureum Gnaphalium prostratum Stoechas citrina Cyttarium arenarium Gnaphalium graveolens Helichrysum arenarium var. arenarium Helichrysum arenarium

Lower taxons

Helichrysum arenarium subsp. arenarium Helichrysum arenarium subsp. rubicundum Helichrysum arenarium subsp. aucheri Helichrysum arenarium subsp. erzincanicum Helichrysum arenarium subsp. ponticum