Compass Plant

Silphium laciniatum

SIL-phee-um   la-sin-ee-AY-tum

Synonyms of Silphium laciniatum (3) (Updated on 12-4-23 from Plants of the World Online): Silphium gummiferum Elliott, Silphium laciniatum var. robinsonii L.M.Perry, Silphium spicatum Poir.

Silphium laciniatum L. is the accepted scientific name for this plant. The genus and species were named and described as such by Carl von Linnaeus in the second volume of the first edition of Species Plantarum in 1753. 

As of 12-4-23 when this page was last updated, Plants of the World Online by Kew lists 16 species in the Silphium genus. It is a member of the plant family Asteraceae with 1,702 genera. Those numbers could change periodically as updates are made by POWO. The number of genera in the family fluctuates quite often.

The above distribution map for Silphium laciniatum is from Plants of the World Online. The map on the USDA Plants Database for the United States and Canada is similar and also includes a few more states. No map is perfect but they give a general idea…

The map on iNaturalist shows where members have made observations. Anyone can join and it is a great website to confirm and share your observations.

THERE ARE SEVERAL LINKS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PAGE FOR FURTHER READING AND TO HELP WITH A BETTER POSITIVE ID.

I first noticed a colony of Silphium laciniatum (Compass Plant) along a back road south of town in 2019 but they were small and not flowering at the time. The next thing I knew they had been mowed off. A while later, on July 17, I saw them growing along another back road. This time I took A LOT of photos. They are a really neat plant and I have been tempted to take more photos but I really think I have enough.

I apologize for not writing descriptions at the moment. I am busy updating plant pages and writing new pages for wildflowers I identified over the summer (plus adding more photos to previously published pages). Writing descriptions in my own words can be a lengthy process, so I decided to just make new pages and come back later and write the descriptions. This is a winter project but sometimes I get behind and it takes longer. I need to continually update because plant names change, the number of species and genera fluctuates, and I want to be as accurate as I can. There are several very good websites below that can help with a positive ID. We are all a work in progress.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

All but the first few photos on this page were taken on a short back road south of town I take when I visit a good friend of mine. I don’t know the name of the road, I just use it. There are more Silphium laciniatum growing along this road than you could imagine from one end to the other.

 

This field on the west side of the road is always LOADED!

I have enjoyed photographing and learning about the many wildflowers growing on the farm and in other areas. The farm I live on is in Windsor, Missouri in Pettis County (Henry County is across the street and Benton and Johnson aren’t far away). I have grown over 500 different plants and identified over 250 species of wildflowers (most have pages listed on the right side of the page). I am not an expert, botanist, or horticulturalist. I just like growing, photographing, and writing about my experience. I rely on several websites for ID and a few horticulturalists I contact if I cannot figure them out. Wildflowers can be somewhat variable from location to location, so sometimes it gets a bit confusing. If you see I have made an error, please let me know so I can correct what I have written.

I hope you found this page useful and be sure to check the links below for more information. They were written by experts and provide much more information. Some sites may not be up-to-date but they are always a work in progress. If you can, I would appreciate it if you would click on the “Like” below and leave a comment. It helps us bloggers stay motivated. You can also send an email to me at thebelmontrooster@yahoo.com. I would enjoy hearing from you especially if you notice something is a bit whacky.

FOR FURTHER READING:
PLANTS OF THE WORLD ONLINE (GENUS/SPECIES)
INTERNATIONAL PLANT NAMES INDEX (GENUS/SPECIES)
TROPICOS (GENUS/SPECIES)
FLORA OF MISSOURI (GENUS/SPECIES)
FLORA OF NORTH AMERICA (GENUS/SPECIES)
WORLD FLORA ONLINE (GENUS/SPECIES)
WIKIPEDIA (GENUS/SPECIES)
USDA PLANTS DATABASE
USDA PLANT GUIDE
DAVE’S GARDEN
MISSOURI PLANTS
MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN
MISSOURI DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION
iNATURALIST
WILDFLOWER SEARCH
ILLINOIS WILDFLOWERS
MINNESOTA WILDFLOWERS
KANSAS WILDFLOWERS AND GRASSES
PFAF(PLANTS FOR A FUTURE)
LADY BIRD JOHNSON WILDFLOWER CENTER
FRIENDS OF THE WILDFLOWER GARDEN
GARDENIA
IN DEFENSE OF PLANT

NOTE: The data (figures, maps, accepted names, etc.) may not match on these websites. It depends on when and how they make updates and when their sources make updates. Some websites have hundreds and even many thousands of species to keep up with. Accepted scientific names change periodically and it can be hard to keep with as well. Some of the links may use a name that is a synonym on other sites. In my opinion, Plants of the World Online by Kew is one of the most reliable and up-to-date plant databases and they make updates regularly. I make updates “at least” once a year and when I write new pages or add new photos but I do get behind. We are all a work in progress. 🙂