Ageratum

Ageratum
Tropical Whiteweed (Ageratum conyzoides)
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Eudicots
(unranked): Asterids
Order: Asterales
Family: Asteraceae
Subfamily: Asteroideae
Tribe: Eupatorieae
Genus: Ageratum
L. 1753 not Mill. 1754 (Plantaginaceae)[1]
Bluemink (Ageratum houstonianum)

Ageratum (/əˈdʒɛrətəm/),[2] (whiteweed in the USA), is a genus of 40[3] to 60 tropical and warm temperate flowering annuals and perennials from the family Asteraceae, tribe Eupatorieae. Most species are native to Central America and Mexico but four are native to the United States.[3]

They form tussocks or small hills. They grow to a height of 30 in. The opposite leaves are cordate or oval, hairy or tomentose. The margins are slightly toothed or serrate. The leaves form compact clusters.

The fluffy flowers are lavender-blue, pink, lilac, or white; and spread in small compound umbels. They give small, dry fruits.

Cultivation

Ageratums are grown for their flowers, especially A. houstonianum.

Most common ageratums, "Hawaii" for example, are a short 6-8 inches when full grown. Tall ageratum are also available in seed catalogues. They are about 18 inches in height with blue flowers. There is also a medium height snowcapped variety, white top on blue flowers. The blues are most popular and common, but colors also include violet, pink and white. Their size and color makes ageratums good candidates for rock gardens, bedding, and containers. They grow well in sun or partial shade, from early summer to first frost. They are quite easy to grow, producing a profusion of fluffy flowers all season long.

Toxicity

Several species of Ageratum are toxic, containing pyrrolizidine alkaloids. Ageratum houstonianum and Ageratum conyzoides cause liver lesions and are tumorigenic.[4][5][6][7]

Weed risk

Ageratum are prone to becoming rampant environmental weeds when grown outside of their natural range.[8][9]

Species

accepted species
  1. Ageratum albidum
  2. Ageratum altissima
  3. Ageratum anisochroma
  4. Ageratum ballotifolium
  5. Ageratum candidum
  6. Ageratum chiriquense
  7. Ageratum chortianum
  8. Ageratum conyzoides
  9. Ageratum corymbosum
  10. Ageratum echioides
  11. Ageratum elassocarpum
  12. Ageratum ellepticum
  13. Ageratum fastigiatum
  14. Ageratum gaumeri
  15. Ageratum guatemalense
  16. Ageratum hondurense
  17. Ageratum houstonianum
  18. Ageratum isocarphoides
  19. Ageratum lavenia
  20. Ageratum littorale
  21. Ageratum lucidum
  22. Ageratum lundellii
  23. Ageratum maritimum
  24. Ageratum meridanum
  25. Ageratum microcarpum
  26. Ageratum microcephalum
  27. Ageratum molinae
  28. Ageratum munaense
  29. Ageratum myriadenium
  30. Ageratum nelsonii
  31. Ageratum oerstedii
  32. Ageratum oliveri
  33. Ageratum paleaceum
  34. Ageratum panamense
  35. Ageratum peckii
  36. Ageratum petiolatum
  37. Ageratum platylepis
  38. Ageratum platypodum
  39. Ageratum pohlii
  40. Ageratum radicans
  41. Ageratum riparium
  42. Ageratum rugosum
  43. Ageratum salicifolium
  44. Ageratum salvanaturae
  45. Ageratum scorpioideum
  46. Ageratum solisii
  47. Ageratum stachyofolium
  48. Ageratum standleyi
  49. Ageratum tehuacanum
  50. Ageratum tomentosum

Segregate genera

The genus Paneroa consists of one species, Paneroa stachyofolia, native to Oaxaca, which was first described in Ageratum but which seems to be more closely related to Conoclinium and Fleischmannia.[10]

References

  1. ↑ Tropicos, search for Ageratum
  2. ↑ Sunset Western Garden Book, 1995:606–607
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Ageratum". Flora of North America.
  4. ↑ Acamovic, T., Stewart, C.S., Pennycott, T.W.,"Poisonous Plants and Related Toxins", 2004
  5. ↑ Noa, M., Sanchez, L.M., Durand, R., "Ageratum houstonianum toxicosis in Zebu cattle", Veterinary and human toxicology, 2004, vol.46, no4, pp.193-195.
  6. ↑ Sani, Y., Bahri, S., "Pathological changes in liver due to the toxicity of Ageratum conyzoides", Penyakit Hewan (Indonesia), 1994, v. 26(48) p. 64-70
  7. ↑ Fu, P.P., Yang, Y.C., Xia, Q., Chou, M.C., Cui, Y.Y., Lin G., "Pyrrolizidine alkaloids-tumorigenic components in Chinese herbal medicines and dietary supplements", Journal of Food and Drug Analysis, Vol. 10, No. 4, 2002, pp. 198-211
  8. ↑ Global Compendium of Weeds, Ageratum conyzoides (Asteraceae)
  9. ↑ Global Compendium of Weeds, Ageratum houstonianum (Asteraceae)
  10. ↑ Schilling, Edward E. (2008). "Paneroa, A New Genus of Eupatorieae (Asteraceae) from Mexico". Novon a Journal for Botanical Nomenclature 18 (4): 520. doi:10.3417/2007173.