Compass
Plant silphium laciniatum L.
Description:
The Compass Plant is a warm-season perennial herb in the Compositae, or aster family. It reaches a height up to 3.5
meters.
Leaf: The sand-papery leaves are stiff and deeply
lobed, resinous and tough. They are covered with short, stiff hairs and are
mostly in a clump at ground level. Young plants and plants that are in the sun
have edges usually pointed north and south. This characteristic helps save
moisture and also tells the direction.
Flower: Two to three dozen yellow flowers, placed
alternately and spirally around the stout, hairy stem, may open at once. Each
head has both ray and disk flowers. The green bracts on the back of each head
are in more than 2 series.
Blooming months: July-September
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8-20 |
10-13 |
6-23 |
Discussion:
The deep, thick taproots of the compass plant played an important role in
the building the rich, black soil. Pioneers found that these plants, with their
deep taproots, made plowing difficult, damaging plows and sometimes injuring
draft animals. Compass Plant was important in the diet of bison, and it is
eaten by cattle. From the upper stem of the compass plant, a clear sap may ooze
out and can be firmed up with the finger. This makes a pleasant chewing gum
with an odd, pine resin taste. Native American and pioneer children liked to
chew it. Early Americans had many medicinal uses for the roots and leaves of
the compass plant.
Distribution:
This species is a common inhabitant of prairies. This Midwestern species
ranges from Michigan to South Dakota, south to Texas and Mississippi.
Native or Introduced to Illinois: Native
Location:
N41048.677’ W089040.972’
Copyright:
© 2004 Nancy Trainor, Challand
Middle School,
References:
Keller, Carolyn. Prairie Plants of
Ladd, Doug. Tallgrass Prairie Wildflowers, The Nature Conservancy, 1995.
Peterson, Roger Tory. Wildflowers Northeastern/North Central
Mohlenbroch, Robert H., and John W. Voigt. Prairie
Plants of
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