Ligularia dentata

Ligularia dentata
summer ragwort
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Eudicots
(unranked):	Asterids
Order:	Asterales
Family:	Asteraceae
Tribe:	Senecioneae
Genus:	Ligularia
Species:	L. dentata
Binomial name
Ligularia dentata (A.Gray) H.Hara
Synonyms
Senecio clivorum Maxim. Erythrochaete dentata A. Gray Ligularia clivorum Maxim. Source: NRCS,[1] BMG[2]

Ligularia dentata (summer ragwort or leopardplant^[3]) is a species of flowering plant in the genus Ligularia and the family Asteraceae, native to China and Japan.

Description

It is a robust herbaceous perennial growing to 1–1.5 m (3–5 ft) tall by 1 m (3 ft) wide.^[4] The dark green leaves are large, long-stalked, leathery, cordate-based, and very rounded, with serrated edges (hence the Latin dentata meaning "toothed")^[5] . Orange-yellow daisy-like composite flowers bloom on thick red, mostly leafless stalks, rising above the foliage in early summer.

Cultivation

Ligularia dentata is grown as an ornamental plant, chosen as much for its bold foliage as its flowers.^[6] It is used as a round-leaved accent plant or massed planting in moist sun and partial shade garden settings, and in containers. Cultivars include 'Desdemona' and 'Othello'. Selections with cream colour spotted foliage (polka dots) are also grown.

Ligularia dentata 'Desdemona' - cultivar foliage.

Ligularia dentata, in massed natural landscaping.

Toxicity

Ligularia dentata contains tumorigenic pyrrolizidine alkaloids.^[7]

See also

• Farfugium japonicum

References

1. Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). "PLANTS Profile, Ligularia dentata" (HTML). The PLANTS Database. United States Department of Agriculture. Retrieved 2008-05-21.
2. Botanic Garden and Botanical Museum Berlin-Dahlem. "Details for: Ligularia dentata" (HTML). Euro+Med PlantBase. Freie Universität Berlin. Retrieved 2008-05-21.
3. "BSBI List 2007". Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland. Archived from the original (xls) on 2015-02-25. Retrieved 2014-10-17.
4. RHS A-Z encyclopedia of garden plants. United Kingdom: Dorling Kindersley. 2008. p. 1136. ISBN 1405332964.
5. Harrison, Lorraine (2012). RHS Latin for gardeners. United Kingdom: Mitchell Beazley. p. 224. ISBN 9781845337315.
6. MBG . accessed 11.30.2011
7. Fu, P.P., Yang, Y.C., Xia, Q., Chou, M.C., Cui, Y.Y., Lin G., "Pyrrolizidine alkaloids-tumorigenic components in Chinese herbal medicines and dietary supplements", Journal of Food and Drug Analysis, Vol. 10, No. 4, 2002, pp. 198-211

External links

• Missouri Botanical Garden - Horticulture treatment: Ligularia dentata (Leopard plant)