Leaves: Light green; leaves growing mostly along lower ½ to ¾ of the stems; leaves pinnately divided into linear to filiformlobes; leaves arranged oppositely along stems.
Flower Color: Yellow, some with red-brown nerves; flowers on long growing stems (peduncles) on tips of branching stems; usually diskflorets, occasionally a ray flower in observed; bracts or phyllaries surrounding floral heads are purplish with yellow or white along the margins and they are fused together below the middle as shown in the photograph above; fruit is a cypsela.
Flowering Season: April, May to October
Elevation: 1,000 to 9,500 feet (305-2,896 m)
Habitat Preferences: Higher elevations, mountains, various vegetative communities, sandy or clay-rich soils and disturbed areas.
Recorded Range: Hopi Tea Greenthread is widespread, found throughout much of the central western ⅔ of the United States. It is also native to northern Mexico in Chihuahua and Coahuila and south to South America. In the southwest it is found in greatest numbers in AZ, CO, NM and TX with a small number in CA and UT.
Genus Information: In North America there are 12 species and 3 accepted taxa overall for Thelesperma. Worldwide, The Plant List includes 13 accepted species names and a further 2 scientific names of infraspecific rank for Thelesperma.
The genus Thelesperma was published in 1831 by Christian Friedrich Lessing (1809-1862).
The genus Thelesperma, is closely related to the genus Bidens which also has species used as herbs by Native Americans. Bidens megapotamicum is a synonym of Thelesperma megapotamicum.
In the Southwestern United States: Arizona and Utah each have 4 species of genus, California and Nevada each have 1 species, New Mexico has 6 species and Texas has 9 species. Data approximate, subject to revision.
Comments: Species of the genus Thelesperma are herbs and used to make tea and used as a medicinal by several North American indigenous tribes especially in the southwest. One similar species, Navajo Tea, Thelesperma subnudum is boiled and used by the Navajo Nation to make tea and red-brown and orange dye.
The common name "Greenthread" of plants from this genus is because of the linear, threadlike appearance of the slender green stems and flowering stalks.
The photo above was taken June 17, at Monument Valley, Navajo County, Arizona.
Importance to Wildlife, Birds and Livestock
Hopi Tea Greenthread, Thelesperma megapotamicum has small but attractive flowers, the flowers and their seeds may be visited by hummingbirds and/or small mammals including rodents and granivorous birds in search of nectar or food.
Beneficial Value to Butterflies, Honey Bees and Insects
Hopi Tea Greenthread, Thelesperma megapotamicum has small but attractive flowers, the flowers and their plants may be visited by butterflies, moths, flies, honeybees, Native Bees and other insects in search of food and nectar.
Etymology:
The genus “Thelesperma” (Thelesper'ma:) is from the Greek thele, "nipple," and sperma, "seed," and referring to the roughened achenes.
The genus Thelesperma was published in 1831 by Christian Friedrich Lessing (1809-1862).
The species epithet “megapotamicum” (megapotam'icum:) is from the Greek megas, "big or great," potamos, "river," and the adjectival suffix -icum, denoting a state of belonging to.
Ethnobotany
Hopi Tea Greenthread, Thelesperma megapotamicum is used for a multitude of purposes by southwestern United States indigenous peoples.
Apache, Chiricahua & Mescalero Food, Beverage;
Fresh or stored portions boiled in water and liquid consumed with or without sugar; Leaves and young stems boiled to make a non-intoxicating beverage.
Hopi Dye, Red-Brown; Beverages; Flowers used as a reddish brown dye for basket making yucca fibers; Used to make a fine reddish-brown basketry and textile dye; Flowers and tips of young leaves dried, boiled and used to make tea; Flowers used to make a beverage; Used to make coffee.
Keres, Western Drug, Pediatric Aid, Tuberculosis; Food, Beverage; Plant formerly used for children with tuberculosis; Plant formerly used for children with tuberculosis; Infusion of plant used as a beverage.
Keresan Food, Beverage; Leaves and roots boiled to make tea.
Navajo Drug, Stimulant; Toothache Remedy; Infusion of leaves and stems taken as a 'nervous stimulant;.'Infusion of leaves and stems taken for the teeth.
Navajo Food, Substitution Food; Ramah Dye, Orange-Yellow; Food Beverage; Leaves and stems used as a substitute for tea; Boiled roots used as an orange-yellow dye for wool; Decoction of leaves and flowers, with lots of sugar, used as a tea.
Tewa Food, Beverage; Leaves steeped and the tea drunk as a beverage.
See complete listing of ethno-botanical uses at Native American Ethnobotany, University of Michigan, Dearborn.
