About Eupatorium semiserratum DC.
Eupatorium semiserratum DC., commonly known as smallflower thoroughwort, is a North American plant species in the Asteraceae family. It is native to the southeastern and south-central United States, occurring in all coastal states from Maryland to Texas, and ranging inland as far as Missouri and Kentucky. Additional confirmed distribution includes the area from southeast Virginia south to northern Florida, west to Texas and Arkansas, with a separate disjunct population in Tennessee. Eupatorium semiserratum produces stems that sometimes grow more than 100 cm (40 inches) tall, growing from short rhizomes. Its inflorescences, which appear from late July through October, are made up of a large number of small white flower heads that contain 5 disc florets and no ray florets. This species is similar to Eupatorium linearifolium, but it has smaller flower heads and stems that branch near the tips rather than near the base. Plants previously classified as Eupatorium glaucescens or Eupatorium cuneifolium are now classified as either E. semiserratum or E. linearifolium. A related species, Eupatorium lancifolium, is native to Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, and Texas, and has sometimes been grouped as part of E. semiserratum. Eupatorium semiserratum generally grows in wetlands including swamp forests, seepage bogs, and clay-based Carolina bays, and it can also be found in savannas. E. semiserratum has been found to have anticancer properties against various human cancer cell lines.
