Kingdom Plantae Family Apocynaceae Scientific name Amsonia tomentosa Rank Species | Order Gentianales Genus Amsonia Higher classification Amsonia | |
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Similar Amsonia, Apocynaceae, Amsonia tharpii, Amsonia kearneyana, Asclepias subverticillata | ||
Amsonia tomentosa is a species of flowering plant native to the southwestern United States (S California, S Nevada, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, W Texas) and northern Mexico (Chihuahua). Its common names include woolly bluestar and gray amsonia.
Amsonia tomentosa is a short, woody plant with many erect stems rarely reaching half a meter in height. The plant has two forms, a green glabrous (hairless) form, and a gray woolly form. The leaves are oval but pointed, and about 3 centimeters long. The flowers are white with a green or blue tint. They are tubular at the base and have flat faces with five petals. The flowers often come clumped in a cyme inflorescence. The fruits are podlike follicles that may separate into sections, each bearing a seed.
- Amsonia tomentosa var. stenophylla Kearney & Peebles - Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, Texas, Chihuahua
- Amsonia tomentosa var. tomentosa - S California, S Nevada, NW Arizona
Uses
Among the Zuni people, a compound poultice of the root of the tomentosa variety is applied with much ceremony to rattlesnake bite.