User:Kayliekillian/sandbox

Description: Silphium terebinthinaceum, also known as Prairie Dock or Rosinweed, is an herbaceous perennial growing 2 to 10 feet tall (USDA; book). The Prairie dock has large, basal leaves and flowers in summer, producing small yellow flowers about 3 inches in diameter (Missouri). Its leaves are rough-textured and spade-shaped, and its flowers consist of yellow ray and disc florets (wildflower; book). “Rosinweed” became one of the plant’s common names due to the fact that upon injury, resin flows from the wound, giving the plant a sweet smell (wildflower). This dicot has a characteristically large taproot able to penetrate to depths of at least 14 feet in search of the water table (book).

Ecology: Silphium terebinthinaceum can survive destructive events such as grazing and soil degradation because of its ability to produce new above-ground shoots (book). This plant is also well adapted to obtain and hold onto water due to its characteristically large taproot and large leaves oriented in the north-south direction (book) Native bees nest beneath or within these plants or use elements of the plants for their nests (wildflower). Consequently, seem to be an important part of attracting bees for pollination in the area (wildflower). These flowers are usually some of the few species remaining on land that has been converted from prairie to railway.

https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=site

Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center. “Silphium Terebinthinaceum.” Plant Database, The University of Texas at Austin, 4 June 2015, www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=site.

http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?kempercode=f590

Missouri Botanical Gardens. “Silphium Terebinthinaceum.” Plant Finder, Missouri Botanical Gardens, www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?kempercode=f590.