Arnica latifolia is a species of arnica in the sunflower family, known by the common names broadleaf arnica, broad leaved arnica, mountain arnica, and daffodil leopardbane.[2] It is native to western North America from Alaska east to Northwest Territories and south to Mono County, California, and Taos County, New Mexico.[3][4] It grows in mountain habitat such as forest and meadows.

Arnica latifolia
Wenatchee National Forest, Washington

Secure  (NatureServe)
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Asterales
Family: Asteraceae
Genus: Arnica
Species:
A. latifolia
Binomial name
Arnica latifolia
Synonyms[1]
Synonymy
  • Arnica aphanactis Piper
  • Arnica aprica Greene
  • Arnica betonicifolia Greene
  • Arnica eriopoda Gand.
  • Arnica flodmanii Rydb.
  • Arnica glabrata Rydb.
  • Arnica grandifolia Greene
  • Arnica granulifera Rydb.
  • Arnica intermedia Howell ex Rydb.
  • Arnica laevigata Greene
  • Arnica leptocaulis Rydb.
  • Arnica membranacea Rydb.
  • Arnica menziesii Hook.
  • Arnica oligolepis Rydb.
  • Arnica paucibracteata Rydb.
  • Arnica platyphylla A.Nelson
  • Arnica puberula Rydb.
  • Arnica teucriifolia Greene
  • Arnica ventorum Greene

Arnica latifolia is a perennial herb growing from a long rhizome and producing a hairy, mostly naked stem 10 to 50 centimeters tall. It has a cluster of leaves around its base and usually a few pairs along the lower part of the stem. The leaves are lance-shaped to broad and nearly heart-shaped, and are usually toothed.[5]

The inflorescence contains one or more daisy-like flower heads lined in glandular phyllaries. Each has a center of yellow disc florets and several yellow ray florets up to 3 centimeters long. The fruit is an achene with a white pappus.[5]

The plant was first described in 1832 by German-Russian botanist Gustav Heinrich von Bongard, based on material collected near Sitka, now in Alaska (then called Russian America).[6][7][8]

The species could be confused with the similar Arnica cordifolia, from which it can be distinguished by the leaves.[9]

References

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  1. ^ The Plant List Arnica latifolia Bong.
  2. ^ Calflora taxon report, University of California, Arnica latifolia Bong.,broadleaf arnica, mountain arnica
  3. ^ Biota of North America Program 2014 state-level distribution map
  4. ^ Biota of North America Program 2014 county distribution map
  5. ^ a b Flora of North America Vol. 21 Page 376 Broadleaf arnica Arnica latifolia Bongard, Mém. Acad. Imp. Sci. St.-Pétersbourg, Sér. 6, Sci. Math. 2: 147. 1832.
  6. ^ Bongard, August Gustav Heinrich von 1832. Mémoires de l'Académie Imperiale des Sciences de St.-Pétersbourg. Sixième Série. Sciences Mathématiques, Physiques et Naturelles 2(2): 147–148, Veg. Isl. Sitch. 29.
  7. ^ The International Plant Names Index
  8. ^ Tropicos, Arnica latifolia Bong.
  9. ^ Reiner, Ralph E. (1969). Introducing the Flowering Beauty of Glacier National Park and the Majestic High Rockies. Glacier Park, Inc. p. 44.
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