Tanacetum vulgare L. (1773)
IUCN
NCBI
EOL Text
The nectar and pollen of the flowerheads attract small bees, flies, wasps, and other insects. In Europe, there are several species of moths (mainly Agrostis spp.) and other insects that feed on the foliage of Common Tansy, but this plant has fewer insect pests in North America. Because the foliage is bitter-tasting and toxic, mammalian herbivores usually avoid this plant as a food source. Some of the chemicals in the foliage include the insecticide pyrethrin, the neurotoxin thujone, the toxic oil tanacetin, and camphor. If dairy cattle eat the foliage, their milk acquires an unpleasant taste.
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| Rights holder/Author | Copyright © 2002-2014 by Dr. John Hilty |
| Source | http://www.illinoiswildflowers.info/weeds/plants/cm_tansy_cr.htm |
Common tansy seed viability in the seed bank is largely unknown [11], but speculation suggests a short-lived seed bank. White [101] reports that common tansy seed may remain in flower heads on dead stems for up to 3 years, but germination studies on 3-year-old seed were not conducted. Based on field studies conducted in the Czech Republic and a review of available literature, Prach and Wade [71] suggested that common tansy seed is generally viable for just one season.
In Great Britain and/or Ireland:
Foodplant / parasite
Golovinomyces cichoracearum parasitises live Tanacetum boreale
Common tansy flowers from July to October throughout its North American range [24,26,32,44,77]. Although patterns in flowering date were not evident from the broad phenological descriptions in North American floras, they were described for common tansy genotypes collected throughout Finland and grown in a common garden. Plants collected from western and central Finland flowered earlier than those from southern and eastern Finland [45].
Seasonal development of common tansy was reported from populations in Gallatin County, Montana [40]:
- some stems grew from rhizomes in November
- most stems emerged in the spring, after the emergence of many perennial grasses in the area
- leaf expansion began in mid-May
- plants were 3 feet (1 m) tall or more by mid-June
- flower buds began forming in June
- flowers were present through most of August, some flowers persisting until early November
- leaves and stems began senescing as early as August on dry sites
- leaves were still green in October or November on moist sites
- flower heads remained intact and held most seeds through the fall
Perennials, mostly 40–150 cm. Stems 1–2+ (ridged), erect, branched distally (glabrous or sparsely hairy). Leaves basal (soon withering) and cauline; petiolate or sessile; blades broadly oblong or oval to elliptic, 4–20 × 2–10 cm, pinnately lobed (rachises ± winged, primary lobes 4–10 pairs, lance-linear to lanceolate or narrowly elliptic, often pinnately lobed or toothed), ultimate margins dentate, faces glabrous or sparsely hairy, gland-dotted. Heads 20–200 in compact, corymbiform arrays. Involucres 5–10 mm diam. Receptacles convex to conic, epaleate. Ray florets 0 (heads disciform, peripheral pistillate florets ca. 20; corollas yellow, lobes 3–4). Disc corollas 2–3 mm. Cypselae 1–2 mm, 4–5-angled or -ribbed, gland-dotted; pappi coroniform, 0.2–0.4 mm. 2n = 18.
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| Rights holder/Author | eFloras.org Copyright © Missouri Botanical Garden |
| Source | http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=200024584 |
In Great Britain and/or Ireland:
Foodplant / open feeder
larva of Chrysolina graminis grazes on leaf of Tanacetum vulgare
Other: sole host/prey
Foodplant / internal feeder
larva of Dioxyna bidentis feeds within capitulum of Tanacetum vulgare
Remarks: Other: uncertain
Foodplant / parasite
Golovinomyces cichoracearum parasitises live Tanacetum vulgare
Foodplant / sap sucker
nymph of Megalocoleus tanaceti sucks sap of fruit (unripe) of Tanacetum vulgare
Foodplant / sap sucker
adult of Neides tipularius sucks sap of Tanacetum vulgare
Foodplant / saprobe
immersed pseudothecium of Nodulosphaeria dolioloides is saprobic on dead stem of Tanacetum vulgare
Foodplant / feeds on
larva of Olibrus aeneus feeds on Tanacetum vulgare
Foodplant / feeds on
Orthocephalus coriaceus feeds on Tanacetum vulgare
Foodplant / saprobe
loosely gregarious, sometimes linearly arranged, covered then projecting pycnidium of Phomopsis coelomycetous anamorph of Phomopsis achilleae var. tanaceti is saprobic on dead stem of Tanacetum vulgare
Foodplant / miner
larva of Phytomyza pullula mines leaf of Tanacetum vulgare
Foodplant / miner
larva of Phytomyza tanaceti mines leaf of Tanacetum vulgare
Other: sole host/prey
Foodplant / parasite
hypophyllous telium of Puccinia tanaceti parasitises live stem of Tanacetum vulgare
Remarks: season: 7-9
Other: minor host/prey
Foodplant / parasite
hypophyllous colony of Ramularia hyphomycetous anamorph of Ramularia tanaceti parasitises live leaf of Tanacetum vulgare
Foodplant / saprobe
often scattered to crowded or linearly arranged, subepidermal, black pycnidium of Rhabdospora coelomycetous anamorph of Rhabdospora tanaceticola is saprobic on dead stem of Tanacetum vulgare
Remarks: season: 4-8
Foodplant / spot causer
epiphyllous, very minute, immersed, fuscous black pycnidium of Septoria coelomycetous anamorph of Septoria tanaceti causes spots on fading leaf of Tanacetum vulgare
Remarks: season: 9-10
Foodplant / miner
larva of Trypeta artemisiae mines leaf of Tanacetum vulgare
Remarks: Other: uncertain
The following is a representative barcode sequence, the centroid of all available sequences for this species.
In the past, Common Tansy was used to eliminate parasitic worms from the digestive tract. Sometimes it was also used as an aborticide, sometimes with fatal results. Because of the toxic substances in the foliage, it is probably unwise to ingest herbal preparations from this plant. Common Tansy is often associated with death, in part because its flowering stems were used at funerals to repel flies from the deceased. There are native Tanacetum spp. (Tansies), but they don't occur in Illinois. The native Tansies are often smaller plants with flowerheads that are larger in size, but fewer in number. Their foliage is flat or curled, depending on the species.
| License | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/ |
| Rights holder/Author | Copyright © 2002-2014 by Dr. John Hilty |
| Source | http://www.illinoiswildflowers.info/weeds/plants/cm_tansy_cr.htm |
More info for the terms: fire suppression, litter, prescribed fire, restoration, rhizome
Use of prescribed fire as a control agent: Prescribed fire alone is not likely to control common tansy [40]. However, fire may be useful in removing dead stems and litter and increasing common tansy's exposure to herbicide treatments or grazing [19,40]. Fire may also be used to dispose of stems with flowers or seeds on mowed or cut sites, because on-site destruction of reproductive stems should decrease the potential for dispersal and spread [89].
Fire and chemical control: In a pasture with dense common tansy populations near Potlach, Idaho, researchers burned the pasture in spring to remove the previous year's seed stalks and improve the effectiveness of herbicide treatments made about a week later and again a year later. A little over a year after treatments, control of common tansy ranged from 68% to 98%, depending on the herbicide used [60]. The use of fire to control common tansy is also briefly discussed in Integrated management.
Preventing postfire establishment and spread: Preventing invasive plants from establishing in weed-free burned areas is the most effective and least costly management method. This can be accomplished through early detection and eradication, careful monitoring and follow-up, and limiting dispersal of invasive plant seed or rhizome fragments into burned areas. General recommendations for preventing postfire establishment and spread of invasive plants include:
- Incorporate cost of weed prevention and management into fire rehabilitation plans
- Acquire restoration funding
- Include weed prevention education in fire training
- Minimize soil disturbance and vegetation removal during fire suppression and rehabilitation activities
- Minimize the use of retardants that may alter soil nutrient availability, such as those containing nitrogen and phosphorus
- Avoid areas dominated by high priority invasive plants when locating firelines, monitoring camps, staging areas, and helibases
- Clean equipment and vehicles prior to entering burned areas
- Regulate or prevent human and livestock entry into burned areas until desirable site vegetation has recovered sufficiently to resist invasion by undesirable vegetation
- Monitor burned areas and areas of significant disturbance or traffic from management activity
- Detect weeds early and eradicate before vegetative spread and/or seed dispersal
- Eradicate small patches and contain or control large infestations within or adjacent to the burned area
- Reestablish vegetation on bare ground as soon as possible
- Avoid use of fertilizers in postfire rehabilitation and restoration
- Use only certified weed-free seed mixes when revegetation is necessary
For more detailed information on these topics see the following publications: [4,7,25,93].
Barcode of Life Data Systems (BOLDS) Stats
Public Records: 7
Specimens with Barcodes: 10
Species With Barcodes: 1