Thelesperma megapotamicum [Hopi Tea]

[Andrea B.]

Blum, Andrea (2022) Thelesperma megapotamicum Pursh (Asteraceae) Hopi Tea. Flowers photographed in visible and ultraviolet light. LINK

 

El Dorado at Santa Fe, Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA

10 June 2020
Wildflower
 

Synonyms:

• Bidens megapotamica Spreng.
• Thelesperma gracile (Torr.) A. Gray
   

Other Common Names:

• Cota
• Greenthread
   

Comment:
The flowers and leaves of this plant can indeed be steeped to make Greenthread Tea which was used medicinally by Southwestern Native Americans. (Make sure the plant is not growing near any mining deposits if you want to use it for tea.)
The big river referred to in the Greek species name (megapotamicum) is probably the Rio Grande River in Brazil rather than the Rio Grande in the Southwestern US.
The common name Greenthreads refers to the long, wiry leafless stem which bear the nodding, rayless flowers.
I think that f/4.5 was not the best choice to document this interesting discoid flower, but it's all I have for now.
 

References:
1. SEINet Arizona-New Mexico Chapter (acc 22 Mar 2021) Thelesperma megapotamicum. This is a southwestern biodiversity organization making use of the Symbiota portal software.
2. Wildflowers of New Mexico (acc 22 Mar 2021) Thelesperma megapotamicum. Website published and maintained by George Oxford Miller.
3. Allred, Kelly W., Jercinovic, Eugene M., Ivey, Robert DeWitt (2021) Flora Neomexicana III: An Illustrated Identification Manual, Second Edition, Part 2, Thelesperma Key, page 226. Print on demand at lulu.com.
4. Finley, Willa F., Nieland, Lashara J. (2013) Land of Enchantment Wildflowers. Thelesperma megapotamicum, page 76. Texas Tech University Press, Lubbock, Texas.
5. Littlefield, Larry J., Burns, Pearl M. (2015) Wildflowers of the Northern and Central Mountains of New Mexico. Cota, page 165. University of New Mexico Press, Albuquerque, New Mexico.

 

Habit & Habitat

A stand of Hopi Tea along a bicycle path.

D850 + Micro-Nikkor 60/2.8ED AFS.

Equipment [Nikon D610-broadband + Nikon 105mm f/4.5 UV-Nikkor]
 

Visible [f/4.5 for 1/20" @ISO-200 with Baader UV/IR-Cut]
The involucre has 4 odd-looking protrusions.

 

 

Ultraviolet [f/4.5 for 15" @ISO-200 with SB14 UV-Flash (mod) and BaaderU UV-Pass filter]

There was quite a bit of pollen scattered onto the disk florets - and probably some dust too.

 

 

[colinbm]

Looks enough to give you hayfever....

 

[Bill De Jager]

As a plant with flowers geared to pollinators, it should not give you hayfever.  Wind-pollinated plants are the culprit there.

[colinbm]

Thanks Bill, thankfully I am not a sufferer.

[ulf]

The Hopi tribe reminds me about their word koyaanisqatsi.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Koyaanisqatsi

 

The film with the same title is a capturing piece of art and possibly a way into the music of Philip Glass

[Andrea B.]

yes! I haven't seen that film for a long time.

*****

 

Added a habitat photo.