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Arnica

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Arnica is a genus with about 30 perennial , herbaceous species, belonging to the sunflower family (Asteraceae). The name Arnica means lamb's skin referring to the soft, hairy leaves.

This circumboreal and montane genus occurs mostly in the temperate regions of western North America, while two are native to Eurasia (A. angustifolia and A. montana).

Arnica used to be included in the tribe Senecioneae, because it has a pappus of fine bristles. This was soon questioned and Nordenstam (1977) placed it tentatively in tribe Heliantheae s.l. This arrangement became also uncertain because of the sesquiterpene lactone chemistry in certain species. Lately Arnica was placed in an unresolved clade together with Madiinae, Eupatorieae, Heliantheae s.s. and Pectidinae.

Several species, such as Arnica montana and Arnica chamissonis contain helenalin, a sesquiterpene lactone that is a major ingredient in anti-inflammatory preparations (mostly against bruises).

Characteristics

They have a deep-rooted, erect stem, that is usually unbranched. Their downy, opposite leaves are borne towards the apex of the stem. The ovoid, leathery, basal leaves are arranged in a rosette.

They show large yellow or orange flowers, 6-8 cm wide with 10-15 long ray florets and numerous disc florets. The phyllaries (= a bract under the flowerhead) has long spreading hairs Each phyllary is associated with a ray floret. Species of Arnica, with an involucre (= a circle of bracts arranged surrounding the flower head) arranged in two rows, have only their outer phyllaries associated with ray florets. The flowers have a slight aromatic smell.

The seed-like fruit has a pappus of plumose, white or pale tan bristles.

Species

Reference

  • Maguire, B. 1943 A monograph of the genus Arnica (Senecioneae, Compositae). Brittonia 4: 386–510
  • Wolf, S.J. & K.E. Denford. 1984. Taxonomy of Arnica (Compositae) subgenus Austromontana. Rhodora Journal of the New England Botanical Club 86(847): 239 - 309.
  • Nordenstam, B. 1977 Senecioneae and Liabeae—systematic review. In V. H. Heywood, J. B. Harborne, and B. L. Turner [eds.], The biology and chemistry of the Compositae, vol. II, 799–830. Academic Press, London, UK
  • Baldwin, B. G. 1999 New combinations in Californian Arnica and Monolopia. Novon 9: 460–461
  • Lyss, G., T. J. Schmidt, H. L. Pahl, and I. Merfort. 1999 Anti-inflammatory activity of Arnica tincture (DAB 1998) using the transcription factor NF-kappaB as molecular target. Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Letters 9: 5–8
  • Wolf, S. J., and K. E. Denford. 1984 Taxonomy of Arnica (Compositae) subgenus Austromontana. Rhodora 86: 239–309
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