Western sagewort

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Western sagewort

Western sagewort

Western sagewort leaves

Western sagewort

Western sagewort

Western sagewort

Western sagewort

Western sagewort

Western sagewort flowers

Western sagewort

Western sagewort

Western sagewort basal leaves

Western sagewort inflorescence

Western sagewort leaf

Western sagewort leaves

Western sagewort

Western sagewort inflorescence

Morphology

Stem

Erect to ascending, one to occasionally several from taproot, usually unbranched, glabrous.

Leaves

Alternate; basal leaves numerous, 1 to 4 inches long, .2 to 1.6 inch wide, may be absent in second year, glabrous to silky-pubescent, deeply pinnately-divided 2-3 times, ultimate segments linear to thread-like, 1/50 to 1/12 inch wide; stem leaves similar, reduced upward, less divided.

Inflorescence

Panicle, narrow, elongate; heads numerous; involucre 1/10 to 1/6 inch tall, usually glabrous, bracts overlapping.

Flower

Erect on short stalk, droops when mature; florets green or yellowish-green; outer florets pistillate, fertile; center florets sterile.

Fruit

Achene, nearly cylindric, glabrous, 1-seeded; seeds tiny.

Ecology

Habitat

Pastures, prairies, roadsides, waste places; open sandy sites.

Distribution

West 2/3 of Kansas

Practical Information

Toxicity

Toxic, but poisoning is rare.

Forage Value

The fruits are eaten by rabbits, small mammals, and grouse.

Uses

Native Americans steeped the leaves and stem and used the tea to treat coughs and colds and applied the liquid to eczema; steeped the roots and applied the liquid to scalp infections, sores on the backs of horses, and rubbed on hides to be tanned; the leaves were chewed for stomach-aches and the spittle was applied to relieve rheumatism; a poultice of chewed leaves was applied to sore eyes; pulverized roots were used as a perfume and were placed on a sleeping person's face to serve as a sedative so "his horses could be stolen".

Additional Notes