Flower ID: IMG_8073.JPG-07-23-2021 Flower name (scientific): Silphium laciniatum Linnaeus PY: 1753. Pronunciation guide: (phonetic spelling) SIL-phee-um (or SIL-fe-um or SIL-fee-um or SIL-fi-um) la-sin-ee-AH-tus (or las-in-e-A-tum or las-in-i-A-tum) Flower name (common): Compass Plant Family name (common): Aster Family name (scientific): Asteraceae Scientific name origin: Genus: One proposal is that the name derives from the name of a North African resinous plant called silphion (Thapsia garganica), with the latter name having a Greek origin. Another suggestion is that the name derives from a now extinct plant found in the Mediterranean region. The identity of the plant may be from the genus Ferula. Specific epithet: Latin for cut or jagged, referring to the leaf margins. Common name origin: From the compass orientation of the leaves, with the surfaces facing east and west (Alvord, 1882; Zhang et al., 1991). Flower description: Size: 3.0 to 4.0 inches (7.6 to 10 cm) Petal count: 24 Color: yellow Other: flower arrangement, Panicle Plant description: Size: 72 to 144 inches (1.8 to 3.7 m) Stem hairy: Other: Leaf description: attachment is basal and alternate, type is simple and lobed Size: Color: Hairy: Other: Shape: leaf, lanceolate, linear, ovate, or rhombic, pinnately or 2-pinnately lobed (FNA), broadly lanceolate in shape and deeply lobed or pinnatifid (IL) Origin (native, introduced, invasive): Native Status (common, uncommon, threatened, rare): Uncommon Bloom time (typical): July to September Cycle (annual, biennial, perennial): Perennial Habitat: Prairies, savannas, forest openings, disturbed areas, roadsides, sun, moist to dry. Fruit: Seed: Importance to wildlife: Similar species (if any): No close lookalikes. The large deeply lobed or pinnatifid leaves of Silphium laciniatum help to distinguish this species from related species of Silphium or other composites in the genus Helianthus. Ethnobotany: The Meskwaki employed the roots of this plant to prepare an emetic. They also extract a gum from the stalks and use it as chewing gum (Smith, pp. 216-217, 1928). Latitude: Longitude: Altitude: Distribution: In Wisconsin: (Columbia, Crawford, Dane, Eau Claire, Grant, Green, Iowa, Jefferson, Kenosha, La Crosse, Lafayette, Marathon, Marquette, Milwaukee, Racine, Richland, Rock, Sauk, Taylor, Vernon, Walworth, Waukesha, Winnebago) Click here for distribution map In US: (AL, AR, CO, DC, IA, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MI, MN, MO, MS, ND, NE, NM, NY, OH, OK, PA, SD, TN, TX, VA, WI) Click here for distribution map In Canada: (ON) Click here for distribution map References: Synonym(s): Basionym: na Homotypic Synonym(s): Heterotypic Synonym(s): Autonym: na Wetland Status (NC): Not listed Wetland Status (MW): Not listed