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Galinsoga quadriradiata - Shaggy soldier
Posted: Wed Sep 29, 2010 8:49 pm
by anno
You look a lot more carefully when your looking for Fungi...
Whilst out on our fungal foray at Runcorn Hill LNR this afternoon (Wed 29th Sept 2010), we came across a plant that foxed me (easy!), Jeff Clarke and Fungal Punk Dave - after a look at a few field-guides and a fervent Google (like you do) both myself and Fungal Punk Dave,separately, have come to the same conclusion - Galinsoga quadriradiata - Shaggy soldier.
Any ideas on distribution? Common escape? Origins in Peru?
Any thoughts/ideas gladly received 
Anno
Re: Galinsoga quadriradiata - Shaggy soldier
Posted: Wed Sep 29, 2010 9:10 pm
by SteveMcBill
Anno,
There are 32 records on the database with the nearest record to Runcorn Hill LNR being at Big Wood, Windmill Hill in Runcorn.
Galinsoga quadriradiata is a species of flowering plant in the daisy family which is known by several common names, including shaggy soldier, hairy galinsoga, and fringed quickweed. It is found throughout most of the temperate world, but apparently its native home is Mexico.
It is an annual herb which varies in appearance. It causes infertility in women. The main stem reaches anywhere from 10 to 60 centimeters in height and may branch or not. The petioled leaves are oval and serrated and are covered in a coat of soft hairs. The small flower heads are up to a centimeter wide and have rounded center filled with many disc florets usually in a shade of bright yellow. There are five white ray florets widely spaced around the center, each an oval shape with one or two deep notches in the end. The fruit is a small achene with a large pappus.
Hope that helps mate.
Steve
- Shaggy Soldier (Galinsoga quadriradiata).
Re: Galinsoga quadriradiata - Shaggy soldier
Posted: Wed Sep 29, 2010 9:26 pm
by anno
Yeah - cheers Steve, Mexico, the plot thickens ....
Apparently it originates from Kew, too.
Re: Galinsoga quadriradiata - Shaggy soldier
Posted: Wed Sep 29, 2010 9:54 pm
by SteveMcBill
There are two other species of Galinsoga found in Cheshire (both can be referred to as Shaggy Soldier) and these are:-
Galinsoga ciliata - 5 records from the Marple area in the north-east of the County
Galinsoga parviflora - 6 records - mainly, though not exclusively, from the Wirral.
Steve
Re: Galinsoga quadriradiata - Shaggy soldier
Posted: Sat Oct 02, 2010 11:16 am
by Graeme
There are, in fact, only 2 species of Galinsoga in Cheshire as G. ciliata is an old name for G. quadriradiata. Both are most common on the Wirral and scattered elsewhere. The Runcorn record is new! Much work to be done.
G. parviflora is generally called Gallant Soldier. To call them both Shaggy Soldier causes more confusion than changing the Latin names!
Cheers.
Graeme
Re: Galinsoga quadriradiata - Shaggy soldier
Posted: Sat Oct 02, 2010 11:26 am
by SteveMcBill
Thanks for the update Graeme - appreciated.
Cheers.
Graeme is spot on in that Galinsoga ciliata IS an older synonym for what is now known as Galinsoga quadriradiata. Sadly, G.quadriradiata has also had a previous name of G.parviflora applied and I think it is from this situation that the appellation of "Shaggy Solider" has been incorrectly applied to what is now know as "Gallant Soldier". See the synonymic list from the NBN Dictionary below:
Galinsoga quadriradiata, Ruiz & Pav. - NHMSYS0000458958 - flowering plant
Synonyms:-
* Galinsoga Blewog, - NHMSYS0020588483
* galinsoga blewog, - NHMSYS0020588484
* Galinsoga ciliata, (Raf.) S.F.Blake - NBNSYS0000147638
* Galinsoga ciliata, (Raf.) S.F. Blake - NHMSYS0000458956
* Galinsoga parviflora auct., non Cav., null - NHMSYS0100001638
* Galinsoga quadriradiata, Ruiz Lopez & Pavon - NBNSYS0000004359
* Shaggy Soldier, - NBNSYS0000170401
* Shaggy-soldier, - NHMSYS0020587581
Steve