Silphium (genus)


Silphium is a genus of North American plants in the sunflower tribe within the daisy family.
Members of the genus, commonly known as rosinweeds, are herbaceous perennial plants growing to to more than tall, with yellow flowerheads that resemble sunflowers. In the rosinweeds, the outer florets in the head are fertile and the inner florets are sterile; in the sunflowers, the reverse is true.
The name of the genus comes from the Ancient Greek word for a North African plant whose identity has been lost, though it is known its gum or juice was prized by the ancients as a medicine and a condiment.

Species

Species in the genus include:
Numerous species are now regarded as members of the genera Berlandiera and Verbesina.