Wildflower Spot – July 2016 John Clayton Chapter of the Virginia Native Society

Smallanthus uvedalia ( uvedalia) LeafcupBy Helen Hamilton, Past-president of the John Clayton Chapter, VNPS This is a large, coarse plant growing 3-10 feet tall on stems that are often hairy. Huge leaves, to over a foot long, are cut into several lobes and somewhat resemble the foot of a bear, suggesting the other common name “Bearsfoot.” The plant is usually known as “Leafcup” because the leaves are arranged in pairs on the stems, and the petiole of each leaf is winged, forming a small cup around the stem.

Each plant is covered with Leafcup is native to nearly every county in Vir- ginia, and ranges from New York to Illinois and - Missouri, south to and . This large sects.yellow Leafcup flowers, is 1-3 a member inches across, of the visitedAster Fam by - perennial grows best in part shade, in soil that many butterflies, bees, wasps, and other in remains moist in the summer. It can be seen in native woodlands at the edge of forest, in areily, withcomplex tiny –flowers the anthers crowded (male into reproductive the central part)disk, surroundedare packed intoby yellow a cylinder rays. and Aster as theyflowers Because of its size, this plant is suitable for the mature, the pistil (female reproductive part) backshade of filtered a perennial by the border, leaves or of edgesthe forest of woods. trees. is pushed up through the cylinder, presenting pollen grains to insects seeking nectar. After a Native Americans used extracts of the root few days, when the pollen grains are no longer of Bearsfoot as a stimulant and laxative. viable, the stigma opens and becomes receptive Physicians in the late 1800’s recommended to the pollen deposited by other visiting insects. its use in ointments for ailments such as The large seeds resulting from fertilization are rheumatism, swellings, fevers, burns, cuts and food for many species of birds. v

local inflammations. Photo: Leafcup () taken by Helen Hamilton For more information about native visit www.vnps.org.