Silphium (genus)

Silphium is a genus of North American plants in the sunflower tribe within the daisy family.[1][2]

Members of the genus, commonly known as rosinweeds, are herbaceous perennial plants growing to 0.2 m (8 in) to more than 2.5 m (8 ft 2 in) tall, with yellow (rarely white) flowerheads that resemble sunflowers. In the rosinweeds, the outer florets in the head are fertile and the inner florets are sterile;[3] in the sunflowers, the reverse is true.[4]

The name of the genus comes from the Ancient Greek word for a North African plant whose identity has been lost, though it is known its gum or juice was prized by the ancients as a medicine and a condiment.[3]

Species in the genus include:[5][3][6][7][8][9]

Silphium albiflorum A.Gray – white rosinweed – TX
Silphium asteriscus L. – starry rosinweed – TX OK LA AR MO IL IN KY TN AL MS GA FL SC NC VA WV OH MD PA NY
Silphium brachiatum Gatt. – Cumberland rosinweed – TN AL GA
Silphium compositum Michx. – kidneyleaf rosinweed – TN AL GA FL SC NC VA WV
Silphium glutinosum J.R. Allison AL
Silphium integrifolium Michx. – wholeleaf rosinweed – NM TX LA OK AR MO KS CO WY SD NE IA IL IN KY TN MS AL WI MI MA ONT
Silphium laciniatum L. – compassplant – NM TX LA OK AR MO KS CO SD NE MN IA IL IN KY TN MS AL WI MI VA PA NY ONT
Silphium laeve Hook. – WA ID
Silphium mohrii Small – Mohr’s rosinweed – TN AL GA