Helichrysum foetidum (L.) Cass., Asteraceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  yes

Other Latin names:  Gnaphalium foetidum L.

Common name(s): [more details]

English: stinking everlasting, stinking strawflower

French: immortelle du Cap

Habit:  herb

Description:  "Foetid biennial herbs 2-10 dm tall.  Leaves oblong to lanceolate, 3-7 cm long, upper surface green and sparsely pubescent, lower surface white woolly pubescent, lower ones gradually narrowed to petioles, upper ones with cordate bases clasping the stem.  Heads several in clusters at the ends of the stems, 15-20 mm in diameter; involucral bracts shiny, bright yellow; corollas yellow.  Achenes minutely tuberculate"  (Wagner et al., 1999; p. 323).

Habitat/ecology:  In Hawai‘i, "naturalized in dry to subalpine vegetation and pastures, 750-2,300 m" (Wagner et al., 1999; p. 323).

Propagation:  Seed

Native range:  South Africa (Wagner et al., 1999; p. 323).

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Hawai‘i (Big) Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 323) Voucher cited: Degener 20235

Indian Ocean
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
La Réunion (France) La Réunion Island	La Réunion Island	introduced invasive	Lavergne, Christophe (2006) "Cultivé?/naturalisé"

Additional information:
Factsheet from PlantzAfrica.

Additional online information about Helichrysum foetidum is available from the Hawaiian Ecosystems at Risk project (HEAR).

Information about Helichrysum foetidum as a weed (worldwide references) may be available from the Global Compendium of Weeds (GCW).

Taxonomic information about Helichrysum foetidum may be available from the Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN).

References:

Lavergne, Christophe. 2006. List des especes exotiques envahissantes a La Reunion. Unpublished manuscript (Excel file). .

U. S. Government. 2011. Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS) (on-line resource).

Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. 1999. Manual of the flowering plants of Hawaii. Revised edition. Bernice P. Bishop Museum special publication. University of Hawai‘i Press/Bishop Museum Press, Honolulu. 1919 pp. (two volumes).