Arnica cordifolia

Arnica cordifolia is a species of arnica in the sunflower family, known by the common name heartleaf arnica.[2] It is native to western North America from Alaska to California to New Mexico, as far east as Ontario and Michigan.[3][4] It is a plant of many habitat types, including coniferous forests, and moist mountain meadows from sea level to above 12,000 feet (3,700 m), but most commonly 4,000–11,000 feet (1,200–3,400 m).[3][5]

Arnica cordifolia
Wenatchee Mountains, Washington
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Plantae
(unranked):
Angiosperms
(unranked):
Eudicots
(unranked):
Asterids
Order:
Asterales
Family:
Asteraceae
Tribe:
Heliantheae
Genus:
Arnica
Species:
A. cordifolia
Binomial name
Arnica cordifolia
Synonyms

Description

This is a rhizomatous perennial herb producing one or more erect stems reaching a maximum height near half a meter. It has two to four pairs of leaves on the stem, each on a long petiole. The leaves are heart-shaped to arrowhead-shaped and finely toothed along the edges. The inflorescence bears one or more daisylike flower heads lined with white-haired phyllaries and sometimes studded with resin glands. The center of each head contains golden yellow disc florets and a fringe of bright golden ray florets approaching 3 centimeters in maximum length.[6][7][8][5]

The fruit is a hairy achene up to a centimeter long, not counting its off-white pappus. Seeds are dispersed on the wind. An individual plant can live twelve years, surviving periodic wildfire by resprouting from its long, slender rhizome afterward.[5][9]

The species could be confused with the similar Arnica latifolia, from which it can be distinguished by the leaves. The leaves of A. cordifolia are larger and heart-shaped.[10]

Uses

The dried leaves can be made into a poultice or tincture to treat strains and bruises.[11]

References
  1. The International Plant Names Index
  2. Calflora taxon report, University of California, Arnica cordifolia Hook. heart leaved arnica, heartleaf arnica
  3. Sullivan, Steven. K. (2018). "Arnica cordifolia". Wildflower Search. Retrieved 2019-09-15.
  4. Biota of North America Program 2014 state-level distribution map
  5. Flora of North America Vol. 21 Page 374 Heartleaf arnica, Arnica cordifolia Hooker, Fl. Bor.-Amer. 1: 331. 1834.
  6. Klinkenberg, Brian (Editor) (2017). "Arnica cordifolia". E-Flora BC: Electronic Atlas of the Plants of British Columbia [eflora.bc.ca]. Lab for Advanced Spatial Analysis, Department of Geography, University of British Columbia, Vancouver. Retrieved 2019-09-15.CS1 maint: extra text: authors list (link)
  7. Giblin, David (Editor) (2018). "Arnica cordifolia". WTU Herbarium Image Collection. Burke Museum, University of Washington. Retrieved 2019-09-15.CS1 maint: extra text: authors list (link)
  8. "Arnica cordifolia". in Jepson Flora Project (eds.) Jepson eFlora. Jepson Herbarium; University of California, Berkeley. 2018. Retrieved 2019-09-15.
  9. Ecology Fire Ecology
  10. Reiner, Ralph E. (1969). Introducing the Flowering Beauty of Glacier National Park and the Majestic High Rockies. Glacier Park, Inc. p. 44.
  11. Fagan, Damian (2019). Wildflowers of Oregon: A Field Guide to Over 400 Wildflowers, Trees, and Shrubs of the Coast, Cascades, and High Desert. Guilford, CT: FalconGuides. p. 101. ISBN 1-4930-3633-5. OCLC 1073035766.


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