Arnica

''Arnica'' is a genus of perennial, herbaceous plants in the sunflower family (Asteraceae). The genus name ''Arnica'' may be derived from the Greek '' arni'', "lamb", in reference to the plants' soft, hairy leaves. ''Arnica'' is also known by the names ''mountain tobacco'' and, confusingly, ''leopard's bane'' and ''wolfsbane''—two names that it shares with the entirely unrelated genus ''Aconitum''.

This circumboreal and montane (subalpine) genus occurs mostly in the temperate regions of western North America, with a few species native to the Arctic regions of northern Eurasia and North America.

''Arnica'' species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species, including '' Bucculatrix arnicella''.

''Arnica'' was previously classified in the tribe Senecioneae because it has a flower or pappus of fine bristles.

Characteristics

''Arnica'' plants have a deep-rooted, erect stem that is usually unbranched. Their downy opposite leaves are borne towards the apex of the stem. The ovoid, leathery basal leaves are arranged in a rosette.Flora of North America, ''Arnica'' Linnaeus
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They show large yellow or orange flowers, wide with long ray florets and numerous disc florets. The phyllaries (a bract under the flowerhead) has long spreading hairs. Each phyllary is associated with a ray floret. Species of ''Arnica'', with an involucre (a circle of bracts arranged surrounding the flower head) arranged in two rows, have only their outer phyllaries associated with ray florets. The flowers have a slight aromatic smell.

The seedlike fruit has a pappus of plumose, white or pale tan bristles. The entire plant has a strong and distinct pine-sage odor when the leaves of mature plants are rubbed or bruised.

''Arnica montana''

The species ''Arnica montana'', native to Europe, has long been used in folk medicine, but there is no clinical evidence for its use as an effective therapy.

Toxicity

''Arnica montana'' contains the toxin helenalin, which can be poisonous if large amounts of the plant are eaten, and contact with the plant can also cause skin irritation.

Species

Accepted species:The Plant List search for ''Arnica''
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* ''Arnica acaulis''—Common leopardbane—eastern US from Alabama to New Jersey
* '' Arnica angustifolia''—Narrowleaf arnica—Canada (from British Columbia to Quebec), US (Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Colorado); Russia, Scandinavia
* '' Arnica cernua''—Serpentine arnica—California, Oregon
* '' Arnica chamissonis''—Chamisso arnica—US west of Rockies including Alaska; Canada (British Columbia to Quebec plus Yukon + Northwest Territories)
* '' Arnica cordifolia''—Heart-leaf leopardbane, heartleaf arnica—US West of Rockies plus Alaska + Michigan; Canada (from British Columbia to Quebec plus Yukon + Northwest Territories)
* '' Arnica dealbata''—California
* '' Arnica discoidea''—Rayless arnica—California, Oregon, Nevada, Washington
* '' Arnica fulgens''—Foothill arnica, orange arnica, shining leopardbane—USA (west of Rockies plus Michigan); Canada (from British Columbia to Manitoba)
* '' Arnica gracilis''—Smallhead arnica (''A. latifolia'' x ''A. cordifolia'')—US (Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Colorado, Oregon, Washington); British Columbia, Alberta, Northwest Territories
* '' Arnica griscomii''—Russia, Canada, Alaska
* '' Arnica intermedia''—eastern Russia (Yakutskiya, Khabarovsk, Magadan)
* '' Arnica lanceolata''—Arnica, lanceleaf arnica—US West of Rockies plus Alaska, Maine New Hampshire, Vermont, New York State; Canada (British Columbia, Quebec, New Brunswick)
* '' Arnica latifolia''—Broadleaf arnica—western US, western Canada
* '' Arnica lessingii''—Nodding arnica—Kamchatka, Alaska, Yukon, Northwest Territories, British Columbia
* '' Arnica lonchophylla''—Longleaf arnica—most of Canada; Alaska, Montana, Minnesota, South Dakota
* '' Arnica longifolia''—Longleaf arnica, spearleaf arnica—US west of Rockies, British Columbia, Alberta
* '' Arnica louiseana''—Lake Louise arnica—British Columbia, Alberta
* '' Arnica mallotopus''—Honshu Island in Japan
* '' Arnica mollis''—Hairy arnica, wooly arnica——US West of Rockies plus Alaska, New Hampshire + Vermont; Canada (from British Columbia to Quebec plus Yukon + Northwest Territories)
* ''Arnica montana''—Mountain arnica—most of Europe plus Greenland; naturalized in India
* '' Arnica nevadensis''—Nevada arnica—California, Oregon, Nevada, Washington
* '' Arnica ovata''—British Columbia Alberta, Yukon, US West of Rockies
* '' Arnica parryi''—Nodding arnica, Parry's arnica—British Columbia, Alberta, Yukon, US West of Rockies
* '' Arnica porsildiorum''—Kamchatka, Yukon Northwest Territories
* '' Arnica rydbergii''—Rydberg arnica, Rydberg's arnica, subalpine arnica—British Columbia, Alberta, northwestern USA
* '' Arnica sachalinensis''—Hokkaido, Sakhalin, Kuril, Irkutsk
* '' Arnica sororia''—Twin arnica—British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, US West of Rockies
* '' Arnica spathulata''—Klamath arnica—California Oregon
* '' Arnica unalaschcensis''—Alaska arnica—Hokkaido, Honshu, Kamchatka, Sakhalin, Kuril, Alaska
* '' Arnica venosa''—Shasta County arnica—California
* '' Arnica viscosa''—Mt. Shasta arnica—California, Oregon

Image:Arnica chamissonis0.jpg, '' Arnica chamissonis''
Image:Arnica griscomii.jpg, '' Arnica griscomii'' in the Alaskan Interior
Image:Arnicamontana.jpg, Mountain arnica (''Arnica montana'')
Image:Arnica longifolia0.jpg, Longleaf arnica ('' Arnica longifolia'')

References

External links

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Asteraceae genera
Medicinal plants
Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus