Parthenium is a genus of North American annuals, biennials, perennials, subshrubs, and shrubs in the tribe Heliantheae within the family Asteraceae and subfamily Asteroideae.
The name Parthenium is an evolution of the Ancient Greek name παρθένιον (parthenion), which referred to Tanacetum parthenium. The name is possibly derived from the Greek word παρθένος (parthenos) which means "virgin".
Members of the genus are commonly known as feverfew. Notable species include guayule (P. argentatum) which has been used as a rubber substitute, especially during the Second World War; and also P. hysterophorus, a serious invasive species in the Old World.
Species
These include:
Parthenium alpinum (Nutt.) Torr. & A.Gray – Arkansas River feverfew - NM CO WY
Parthenium argentatum A.Gray – Guayule - TX, Coahuila, Guanajuato, Nuevo León, San Luis Potosí, Zacatecas
Parthenium cineraceum Rollins - Bolivia, Paraguay
Parthenium confertum A.Gray – Gray's feverfew - AZ NM TX Chihuahua, Coahuila, Nuevo León, San Luis Potosí, Querétaro, Tamaulipas
Parthenium fruticosum Less. - from Tamaulipas to Chiapas
Parthenium hysterophorus L. – Santa Maria feverfew, whitetop weed - widespread in North + South America; as an invasive species in India, Australia, and Africa
Parthenium incanum Kunth – mariola - NV UT AZ NM TX Chihuahua, Coahuila, Durango, Hidalgo, Nuevo León, San Luis Potosí, Zacatecas
Parthenium integrifolium L. – American feverfew, wild quinine - from TX to MA + MN
Parthenium ligulatum (M.E. Jones) Barneby – Colorado feverfew - CO UT
Parthenium rollinsianum Rzed. - San Luis Potosí
Parthenium schottii Greenm. ex Millsp. & Chase - Yucatán
Parthenium tomentosum DC. - Oaxaca, Puebla
Importance
In North America, the Jicarilla Apache people used Parthenium incanum for medicine (Opler 1946: 8). The sap of guayule (P. argentatum) is a source of natural rubber.
Parthenium hysterophorus is a common invasive species in...
