We found an interesting plant in the woods a few yards off Rolandvue, no where near a garden which looked like some of the images of feverfew. When the botanists looked at it the first impression was a garden variety (escapee) chrysanthemum. Now a former name for feverfew was Chrysanthemum parthenium so the distinction could be considered minor. The latin now is Tanacetum parthenium. This post will raise more questions than it will have answers. Ultimately are you interested in these microscopic characteristics, or happy with the general title of chrysanthemum? What does this imply for the medical and chemical qualities of the the various plants? What about the use as foraging? There may not be true science as yet. We will illustrate some of the fine characteristics that would be needed for a final opinion with the detailed dichotomous keys.
We had a garden chrysanthemum for comparison, but again there is uncertainty. There are many cultivars of the garden flower and some possible hybrids in the woodland flower. The true central flowers appear some what different the garden flower being concave and the woodland flower convex. This could be a different stage in maturity. The inferior calyx is different with the longer tighter green sepals on the woodland flower. After a detailed dichotomous key analysis the woodland plant did seem to be more like the feverfew than the cultivated plant.
There is little science behind using feverfew for actual fevers, but it has been used as a treatment for migraine. the active agent is parthenolide. The cultured varieties also have chemical activity ,an insecticide with the active agent being pyrethrin. There is no clear analysis of which variety has the medical benefit, which has the insecticide or how the two merge into one another. The commercial interest focus on either migraine or the insect repellant not both, and they may be totally separate.
If you do get interested in the magnified appearance or even microscopic appearance there are many variations to learn. It is not clear which if any correlate with the chemistry of the plant. If the cup is smooth rather than rough is it therapeutic or not?
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| garden leaf below,woodland ? feverfew above |
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| close up of flower with the possible feverfew on the right |
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| difference in the calyx, feverfew above |
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