About Agoseris glauca (Nutt. ex Pursh) Raf.
Agoseris glauca, formally known as Agoseris glauca (Nutt. ex Pursh) Raf., is a perennial herb that varies widely in its overall appearance. It can grow up to 70 centimeters (28 inches) tall, and produces a basal cluster of leaves that come in a range of shapes. These leaves can be as long as the full height of the plant, but most typically grow up to 35 cm (14 in) long. The species has no true main stem; instead, from May to September it produces a stemlike inflorescence for flowering. This inflorescence is sometimes erect, and can reach heights close to 0.5 meters (1 and a half feet) or even taller. The flower head is 1–3 cm (1⁄2–1+1⁄4 in) wide, with layers of pointed phyllaries. The head is ligulate, bearing many yellow ray florets and no disc florets. As the ray florets age, they may turn pinkish. The fruit is an achene with a body up to one centimeter long and a pappus that can reach almost 2 cm in length. This plant is native to western and northwestern North America. Its native range extends from Alaska east to the Northwest Territories and Ontario, and southeast to California, Arizona, and New Mexico. It grows in many different habitat types, most commonly in non-forested areas. Agoseris glauca contains a bitter milky juice that solidifies into a substance suitable for chewing as gum. Some Plains Indians may have used the plant for this purpose.
