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Helminthotheca echioides (L.) Holub

Overview
General Information
ID Info
Similar Species
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Aperçu
Renseignements Généraux
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Family :

Famille :

Asteraceae

Synonym(s) :

Synonyme(s) :

Picris echioides L. (FNA 1993+; USDA-ARS 2023)

Common Name(s) :

Nom(s) commun(s) :

Bristly oxtongue

(English) (Darbyshire 2003; CABI 2023; USDA-ARS 2023)

Picris fausse-vipérine (French) (Darbyshire 2003)

Natterkopf-Bitterkraut (German) (CABI 2023; USDA-ARS 2023)

Falsa-serralha (Portuguese-Brazil) (CABI 2023; USDA-ARS 2023)

Helminthotheca echioides (bristly oxtongue) achenes from inner florets

  • Helminthotheca echioides (bristly oxtongue) achenes from inner florets

  • Helminthotheca echioides (bristly oxtongue) achenes from inner florets

  • Helminthotheca echioides (bristly oxtongue) achene from inner florets

  • Helminthotheca echioides (bristly oxtongue) achenes from outer florets

  • Helminthotheca echioides (bristly oxtongue) achenes from outer florets

  • Helminthotheca echioides (bristly oxtongue) achene from outer florets

  • Helminthotheca echioides (bristly oxtongue) achenes from outer florets (with bracts)

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Overview

Aperçu

Regulation :

Remarques Réglementation:

    Regulation Notes:

    Distribution :

    Répartition :

    Helminthotheca echioides is native to southern Europe, the Mediterranean region and northern Africa, naturalized in Europe, South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand (USDA-ARS 2022). In the United States, the species is concentrated in the northern half and the southwestern areas (FNA 1993+). In Canada, it occurs in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Ontario, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia (Brouillet et al. 2010+).

    Habitat and Crop Association :

    Habitat et Cultures Associées :

    This species occurs primarily in disturbed areas associated with woodland clearings, fallow fields, roadsides, railways, and urban areas (Sorenson 1978; FNA 1993+; Darbyshire 2003; CABI 2022). It grows well on both moist and dry soils, and can survive drought by sprouting from the base of the plant (CABI 2022). H. echioides has been reported from Medicago sativa (alfalfa) and Zea mays subsp. mays (maize) fields (CABI 2022). Dense populations of this species can outcompete native species in natural habitats (CABI 2022).

    Economic Use, cultivation area, and Weed Association :

    Utilisation économique, zone de culture et association de mauvaises herbes :

    Duration of Life Cycle :

    Durée du cycle vital:

    Annual or biennial

    Dispersal Unit Type :

    Type d’unité de dispersion :

    Achene

    General Information

    RENSEIGNEMENTS GÉNÉRAUX

    This species of Helminthotheca is widespread, and likely to be a seed contaminant compared to other species confined to Algeria, Morocco, southern Spain and Portugal (USDA-ARS 2022).

    Achenes of this species are of two types (dimorphic): reddish achenes from the center of the flower head that fall from the plant when mature, and yellowish outer achenes that remain until the flower head falls (Sorenson 1978).

    There are generally 25 inner achenes per flower head (Sorenson 1978). The inner achenes of Helminthotheca echioides detach from the flower head when mature. They are believed to be wind-dispersed due to the presence of the pappus, and dispersal in irrigation water has been observed (CABI 2022).

    There are generally only six outer achenes per flower head (Sorenson 1978). The outer achenes remain enclosed within the outer bracts of the flower head, and the hooked bristles of the bracts and leaves may catch on wool and clothes and be dispersed over long distances (CABI 2022). The entire flower head has been transported to the nests of Mus musculus (mice), and the hairs of the outer achenes can catch on their fur (Sorenson 1978). No differences in dormancy were found between the inner and outer achenes (Sorenson 1978).

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    Identification

    Identification

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    >

    • Inner achene

      Size

      • Achene length*: 2.3 – 3.4 mm; width: 0.7 – 1.2 mm
      *Note: minimum and maximum of 10 achenes in a normal range of this species using image measurement (ISMA 2020)

      Sizes from literature:
      • Achene length: 2.5 – 3 mm (FNA 1993+)
      • Achene style remnant (beak) length: 2.5-5 mm (FNA 1993+)
      • Achene weight: 0.015 g (Sorenson 1978)
      • Style remnant length: 2.5 – 5 mm (FNA 1993+)
      • Pappus 4-7 mm long (FNA 1993+)•

      Shape

      • Achenes are oblong with one end abruptly narrowed into a long beak, and are compressed in 3D
      • Pappus of plumose (feather-like) bristles

      Surface Texture

      • Achene surface is covered in transverse fine ridges

      Colour

      • Achenes are shiny brown, reddish brown, orange or yellowish coloured

      Other Features

      • The style remnant and pappus bristles may be broken or removed during seed processing

      Helminthotheca echioides (bristly oxtongue) achenes from inner florets

    • Outer achene

      Size

      • Achene length*: 3.3 – 4.0 mm; width: 1.1 – 1.5 mm
      • Style remnant (a short peg) length**: 0.4 – 0.6 mm
      *Note: minimum and maximum of 10 achenes in a normal range of this species using image measurement (ISMA 2020)
      **Note: minimum and maximum of 5 achenes in a normal range of this species using specimen measurement (ISMA 2020)

      Sizes from literature:
      • Achene weight: 0.029 g (Sorenson 1978)

      Shape

      • Achene is oblong shaped with style remnant end narrower than opposite end, curved on the longitudinal axis to form a C shape, compressed in 3D.

      Surface Texture

      • Achene with faint transverse ridges, spaced closer together than on the inner achenes
      • Achene surface with dense, short whitish hairs on the inside of the curve

      Colour

      • Achene is dull light yellow coloured

      Other Features

      • Pappus bristles are shorter and less developed compared to the inner achenes (Sorenson 1978).

      Helminthotheca echioides (bristly oxtongue) achenes from outer florets

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    >

    • Seed

      Size

      • Seed size similar to achene size

      Shape

      • Seed is oblong shaped

      Surface Texture

      • Seed surface is smooth

      Colour

      • Seed is light yellow coloured

      Other Features

      • Hilum not visible
      • Seed is soft and oily, easily compressed with forceps
    <
    >

    • Embryo

      Size

      • Embryo fills the seed

      Shape

      • Embryo spatulate shaped

      Endosperm

      • Nutritive tissue is contained in the cotyledons (Martin 1946)

      Other Features

      • Embryo in axial position

    Identification Tips

    CONSEILS POUR L’IDENTIFICATION

    The inner achenes of Helminthotheca echioides are distinguished from other Asteraceae achenes by their shiny reddish colour, oblong shape, long style remnant and transverse ridges on the surface.

    The outer achenes are less likely to be found as a seed contaminant and are readily identifiable by their dull light yellow colour, curved shape, thick style remnant, faint transverse ridges and dense hairs on one side of the achene.

    Helminthotheca echioides (bristly oxtongue) achene from inner florets

    Additional Botany Information

    AUTRES RENSEIGNEMENTS BOTANIQUES

    Flowers/Inflorescence

    • Flower heads are composed entirely of yellow ray or ligulate florets (petals are fused into one, long petal)
    • Flower heads are surrounded by bracts in two whorls; the inner ones are long, erect and hair-tipped, the outer are leaf-like (length: 9-15 mm; width: 3-5 mm, FNA 1993+) with thick, whitish hooked bristles and stiff hairs (FNA 1993+; CABI 2022)
    • Each leaf-like bract surrounds an outer achene at maturity and remains on the flower head until it falls from the stem (Sorenson 1978)

    Vegetative Features

    • The plants can grow up to 50 cm tall (Sorenson 1978)
    • The stems and leaves are covered by stiff bristles (Sorenson 1978; CABI 2022)
    • Many of the hairs have more than one hook at the tip (CABI 2022)

    Similar Species

    ESPÈCES SEMBLABLES

    Similar species are based on a study of seed morphology of various species, and those with similar dispersal units are identified. The study is limited by physical specimen and literature availability at the time of examination, and possibly impacted by the subjectivity of the authors based on their knowledge and experience. Providing similar species information for seed identification is to make users aware of similarities that could possibly result in misidentification.

     

    Picris hieracioides L.

    P. hieracioides is an annual or biennial species, native to Europe and Asia, occurring in old fields, roadsides and other disturbed areas outside of the native range (FNA 1993+; Darbyshire 2003). In Canada, it occurs in British Columbia, Ontario and Labrador (Brouillet et al. 2010+).

    The achenes are generally larger (length*: 2.8 – 4.6 mm; width: 0.8 – 1.1 mm) compared to Helminthotheca echioides, although the size range overlaps. The achenes are not dimorphic, are curved on the longitudinal axis, have both longitudinal and transverse ridges and a shorter, thicker style remnant compared to H. echioides.

    Achene length from literature: 3-4(-6) mm (FNA 1993+)

    *Note: minimum and maximum of 10 achenes in a normal range of this species using specimen measurement (ISMA 2020)

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    Reference(s)

    Référence(s)

    Brouillet, L., Coursol, F., Meades, S. J., Favreau, M., Anions, M., Bélisle, P. and Desmet, P. 2010+. VASCAN, the database of vascular plants of Canada. http://data.canadensys.net/vascan/ Accessed August 17, 2022.

    Centre for Agriculture and Bioscience International (CABI). 2022. Invasive Species Compendium, CAB International, Wallingford, UK. https://www.cabidigitallibrary.org/journal/cabicompendium Accessed August 18, 2022.

    Centre for Agriculture and Bioscience International (CABI). 2023. Invasive Species Compendium, CAB International, Wallingford, UK. https://www.cabidigitallibrary.org/journal/cabicompendium Accessed October 31, 2023.

    Darbyshire, S. J. 2003. Inventory of Canadian Agricultural Weeds. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Research Branch. Ottawa, ON.

    FNA. 1993+. Flora of North America North of Mexico. 19+ vols. Flora of North America Editorial Committee, eds. New York and Oxford, http://www.fna.org/FNA/ Accessed August 17, 2022.

    International Seed Morphology Association (ISMA). 2020. Method for Seed Size Measurement. Version 1.0. ISMA Publication Guide.

    Martin, A.C. 1946. The comparative internal morphology of seeds. The American Midland Naturalist 36: 513-660.

    Sorenson, A.E. 1978. Somatic polymorphism and seed dispersal. Nature 276:174 – 176.

    U.S. Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Services (USDA-ARS). 2022. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN), https://npgsweb.ars-grin.gov/gringlobal/taxon/taxonomysearch Accessed October 04, 2022.

    U.S. Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Services (USDA-ARS). 2023. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN), https://npgsweb.ars-grin.gov/gringlobal/taxon/taxonomysearch Accessed October 31, 2023.

    Author(s)

    AUTEUR(S)

    Jennifer Neudorf, Angela Salzl, Ruojing Wang

    Canadian Food Inspection Agency

     

    contactus@idseed.org

    Last updated
    on 2023-03-27

    © 2024 ISMA - International Seed Morphology Association