bio.wikisort.org - Plant

Carphephorus odoratissimus (syn. Trilisa odoratissima), common name vanillaleaf,[2] is a species of North American plants in the family Asteraceae. This species is native to the southeastern United States, including the states of Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Florida.[3][4]

Carphephorus odoratissimus
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Asterids
Order:	Asterales
Family:	Asteraceae
Genus:	Carphephorus
Species:	C. odoratissimus
Binomial name
Carphephorus odoratissimus (J.F.Gmel.) H.J.-C. Hebert
Synonyms[1]
Chrysocoma odoratissima J.F.Gmel. Carphephorus subtropicanus DeLaney, N.Bissett & Weidenh., syn of var. subtropicanus

Carphephorus odoratissimus is a herbaceous perennial up to 180 cm (6 feet) in height, and is largely glabrous. It produces a flat-topped inflorescence with many small purplish flower heads containing disc florets but no ray florets.[2]

Varieties[1][2]

• Carphephorus odoratissimus var. odoratissimus - Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Florida
• Carphephorus odoratissimus var. subtropicanus Wunderlin & B.F.Hansen - Central and South Florida

Uses

Carphephorus odoratissimus var. odoratissimus was given the common name vanillaleaf in reference to the vanilla-like odor that emanates from its foliage, which is due to the high (1.6%) content of coumarin as its major aromatic constituent. As a result, this variety has a history of use in cosmetics, herbal medicine, and as an additive to smoking tobacco. [5]

References

External links

• Florida Native Plant Society
• Atlas of Florida Vascular Plants
• Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, University of Texas
• Alabama Plant Atlas
• photo of herbarium specimen collected in Mississippi

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