by DaySounds © 2013-15
Tansy Aster
Patterson or Bigelow Tansy Aster: Machaeranthera/Dieteria pattersonii or bigelovii
Hoary Tansy Aster: (Machaeranthera/Dieteria canescens)
They hybridized naturally, making it difficult to differentiate at times. Pattersonii
has leaves with larger "teeth"; it also has bracts which appear to be coarse, are green
at their base, usually brownish at the end, curving, and oftentimes a little sticky.
Canescens, on the other hand, has leaves with little "teeth" or no teeth at all; its
bracts are usually smooth, less curving, and whitish/grayish at the base; the stems
are generally tall and have tiny whitish/grayish hairs--which give it the name "gray
haired"=canescens.
We don't recommend to consume these plants as food or tea; however, boiling them
and inhaling the vapor could alleviate a sore throat or irritated lungs--don't overdue
it, though, because too much vapor can hurt your lungs.
Notes:
An involucre is a group of bracts that form a whorl. A phyllary is a single involucre bract.
A bract in this type of flower is a scale--looking element under the capitulum or "flower
head", which oftentimes curves as the flower matures.
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Arvada, CO 80006
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