heart-leaf arnica

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• heart-leaved arnica
• heart-leaved leopardbane
• heart-leaf arnica
• heart leaved arnica

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Arnica cordifolia var. macrophylla
• Arnica cordifolia var. pumila
• Arnica macrophylla
• Arnica abortiva
• Arnica humilis
• Arnica evermannii
• Arnica hardinae
• Arnica subcordata
• Arnica microphylla
• Arnica austinae
• Arnica andersonii
• Senecio cumingii
• Arnica pumila
• Arnica paniculata
• Arnica whitneyi
• Arnica cordifolia subsp. whitneyi
• Arnica cordifolia var. humilis
• Arnica cordifolia var. cordifolia
• Arnica chionophila

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant, Arnica cordifolia, belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta. Within the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae, it is further classified under the order Asterales. Finally, it is a member of the family Asteraceae and falls under the genus Arnica.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant is found across several distinct regions of North America. In the Subarctic regions, its range includes the Northwest Territories and the Yukon. Moving south, it is widely distributed throughout Western Canada. Specifically, it can be located within the provinces of Alberta and British Columbia. Additionally, its presence extends eastward into the province of Manitoba.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Life history

The life history of Arnica cordifolia is characterized by its status as a perennial herb, meaning it lives for multiple years and maintains its presence in its natural habitat through successive growing seasons. As a perennial, the plant typically spends the winter in a dormant state, relying on its established root system to survive harsh conditions before re-emerging in the spring. Each year, the plant undergoes a seasonal cycle of vegetative growth, followed by a flowering period where it produces its characteristic composite blooms, and finally, a stage of seed dispersal. This long-term survival strategy allows the species to persist in stable forest environments, where it can establish robust root structures that support continuous regeneration and long-term population stability.

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Arnica cordifolia is characterized by its growth form as a non-woody herb, specifically classified as a forb. This plant is a self-supporting species, lacking any climbing or vining tendencies, and functions as an independent organism rather than a parasite or epiphyte. It is a terrestrial plant that thrives in soil-based environments rather than aquatic or semiaquatic habitats. In terms of stature, it typically reaches a mean plant height of approximately 0.46 m.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Growth form :

forb

Parasite :

independent

Plant height mean:

0.46 m

Woodiness :

non-woody

Reproduction

The reproduction of Arnica cordifolia is characterized by the production of specialized seeds that exhibit specific mass variations. The seed mass within this species demonstrates a mean value of approximately 0.0016281665 g, reflecting the typical energetic investment per reproductive unit. Detailed measurements show a distribution of mass ranging from a minimum of 0.0009 g (9e-04 g) to a maximum of 0.001343 g, indicating a relatively narrow and consistent weight profile for the seeds produced during its reproductive cycle.

Seed mass max:

0.001343 g

Seed mass mean:

0.0016281665 g

Seed mass min:

9e-04 g

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Chemicals

Arnica cordifolia has 1 reported phytochemicals identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Aromaticin.

Aromaticin

1. Pharmaceutical biology

Activities

Arnica cordifolia has 1 reported activities identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Cytotoxic.

Cytotoxic

1. Pharmaceutical biology