# Melampodium

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***Melampodium*** is a genus of [flowering plants](/source/Flowering_plant) in the [sunflower family](/source/Asteraceae).[1][2]

These are rugged plants native to the tropical to subtropical regions that include [Central America](/source/Central_America), [Southwestern United States](/source/Southwestern_United_States), [California](/source/California), [Florida](/source/Florida), the [Caribbean](/source/Caribbean), and [South America](/source/South_America). Most of the species can be found in Mexico, five in the Southwestern United States, and three are scattered in [Colombia](/source/Colombia) and [Brazil](/source/Brazil).[3][4][5][6][7][8][9]

Some sources say that the name *Melampodium* is derived from the [Greek](/source/Greek_language) words μέλας (*melas*), meaning "black", and πόδιον (*podion*), meaning "foot". This refers to the color of the base of the stem and roots.[10] Members of the genus are commonly known as **blackfoots**.[11] Other authorities, however, maintain that this is in error, that the name comes from [Melampus](/source/Melampus), a soothsayer of renown in [Greek mythology](/source/Greek_mythology).[3]

The genus consists of [annuals](/source/Annual_plant) and [perennials](/source/Perennial_plant) or bushy plants, growing to a height of 1 m. When fully grown, they tend to fall over. They like average, well-drained soil, but can equally grow on rocky soil in deserts. They are moderately to highly drought- and heat-tolerant. Three species of the so-called white-rayed complex are [xerophytic](/source/Xerophyte).[3]

The [foliage](/source/Foliage) varies from bright green to grey-green. The [opposite leaves](/source/Opposite_leaves) are narrow and about 2–5 cm long.[3]

The terminal [flower](/source/Flower) heads are about 2.5 cm wide. They give a continuous display of white (only in the three species of the white-rayed complex), cream, or yellow daisylike ray florets, surrounding a darker orange center with the disc florets. These eight to 10 broad disc florets are functionally staminate. The five outer [bracts](/source/Bract) are partially joined for about half their length.[3]

The numerous [fruits](/source/Fruit) are seed-like (they consist of inner involucral bracts each enclosing and fused with individual ray achenes), with a few narrow scales at their tip. They make this genus one of the most prolific of the summer annuals, with seedlings coming up constantly.[3]

The genus displays a large number of haploid [chromosome](/source/Chromosome) numbers are based on 4 basic chromosome numbers (x = 9, 10, 11, 12).

Several [cultivars](/source/Cultivar) of *Melampodium leucanthum* have been developed, such as 'Million Gold' and 'Showstar', mostly to achieve a more compact size.

Note: *Melampodium* has been labelled *[Sanvitalia](/source/Sanvitalia) speciosa* in the horticultural trade, but this is an invalid name.[12]

## Species

**Species[13][11][14][15]**

- *[Melampodium americanum](/source/Melampodium_americanum)* - Guatemala, El Salvador, Mexico (from Tamaulipas to Chiapas)[16][17][18]
- *[Melampodium appendiculatum](/source/Melampodium_appendiculatum)* - Chihuahua, Sonora, Nayarit, Arizona
- *[Melampodium argophyllum](/source/Melampodium_argophyllum)* - Coahuila, Nuevo León
- *[Melampodium aureum](/source/Melampodium_aureum)* - Puebla, Oaxaca
- *[Melampodium bibractatum](/source/Melampodium_bibractatum)* - [Durango](/source/Durango), [State of Mexico](/source/State_of_Mexico), Guatemala
- *[Melampodium cinereum](/source/Melampodium_cinereum)* - Coahuila, Nuevo León, Texas, Missouri
- *[Melampodium costaricense](/source/Melampodium_costaricense)* - Costa Rica, Panama, Belize, Nicaragua, Colombia
- *[Melampodium cupulatum](/source/Melampodium_cupulatum)* - Sonora, Sinaloa, Jalisco, Baja California Sur
- *[Melampodium diffusum](/source/Melampodium_diffusum)* - Oaxaca, Philippines (probably introduced)
- *[Melampodium divaricatum](/source/Melampodium_divaricatum)* - Brazil, Bolivia, West Indies, Venezuela, Colombia, Central America, Mexico, United States ([FL](/source/Florida) [AL](/source/Alabama) [LA](/source/Louisiana) [AR](/source/Arkansas))
- *[Melampodium glabribracteatum](/source/Melampodium_glabribracteatum)* - Oaxaca
- *[Melampodium glabrum](/source/Melampodium_glabrum)* - Guanajuato, Jalisco, Michoacán
- *[Melampodium gracile](/source/Melampodium_gracile)* - Guatemala, El Salvador, Belize, Mexico (from Tamaulipas to Chiapas)
- *[Melampodium leucanthum](/source/Melampodium_leucanthum)* - Chihuahua, USA ([TX](/source/Texas) [NM](/source/New_Mexico) [AZ](/source/Arizona) [OK](/source/Oklahoma) [KS](/source/Kansas) [CO](/source/Colorado))
- *[Melampodium linearilobum](/source/Melampodium_linearilobum)* - Mexico, Central America
- *[Melampodium longicorne](/source/Melampodium_longicorne)* - Sonora, Arizona, New Mexico
- *[Melampodium longifolium](/source/Melampodium_longifolium)* - Mexico
- *[Melampodium longipes](/source/Melampodium_longipes)* - Jalisco
- *[Melampodium longipilum](/source/Melampodium_longipilum)* - from Guatemala to San Luis Potosí
- *[Melampodium mayfieldii](/source/Melampodium_mayfieldii)* - Jalisco
- *[Melampodium microcephalum](/source/Melampodium_microcephalum)* - from Guatemala to Jalisco
- *[Melampodium mimulifolium](/source/Melampodium_mimulifolium)* - Oaxaca
- *[Melampodium montanum](/source/Melampodium_montanum)* - from Guatemala to Jalisco + San Luis Potosí
- *[Melampodium nayaritense](/source/Melampodium_nayaritense)* - Durango, Nayarit
- *[Melampodium northingtonii](/source/Melampodium_northingtonii)* - Oaxaca
- *[Melampodium nutans](/source/Melampodium_nutans)* - Oaxaca, Jalisco, Colima, Michoacán
- *[Melampodium paniculatum](/source/Melampodium_paniculatum)* - from Oaxaca to Brazil
- *[Melampodium percussum](/source/Melampodium_percussum)*
- *[Melampodium perfoliatum](/source/Melampodium_perfoliatum)* - Mexico, Central America, Cuba, California
- *[Melampodium pilosum](/source/Melampodium_pilosum)* - Guerrero, Michoacan
- *[Melampodium pringlei](/source/Melampodium_pringlei)* - Oaxaca, Puebla
- *[Melampodium repens](/source/Melampodium_repens)* - Veracruz
- *[Melampodium rosei](/source/Melampodium_rosei)* - Sinaloa, Jalisco, Nayarit
- *[Melampodium sericeum](/source/Melampodium_sericeum)* - Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador
- *[Melampodium sinaloense](/source/Melampodium_sinaloense)* - Sinaloa
- *[Melampodium sinuatum](/source/Melampodium_sinuatum)* - Baja California Sur
- *[Melampodium strigosum](/source/Melampodium_strigosum)* - Chihuahua, Durango, [D.F.](/source/Distrito_Federal_de_M%C3%A9xico), Mexico State, Hidalgo, United States ([AZ](/source/Arizona) [NM](/source/New_Mexico) [TX](/source/Texas) [CO](/source/Colorado))
- *[Melampodium tenellum](/source/Melampodium_tenellum)* - Nayarit
- *[Melampodium tepicense](/source/Melampodium_tepicense)* - Nayarit, Jalisco

### Formerly placed here

- *[Acanthospermum australe](/source/Acanthospermum_australe)* (Loefl.) Kuntze (as *M. australe* Loefl.)
- *[Acanthospermum humile](/source/Acanthospermum_humile)* (Sw.) DC. (as *M. humile* Sw.)
- *[Eleutheranthera ruderalis](/source/Eleutheranthera_ruderalis)* (Sw.) Sch.Bip. (as *M. ruderale* Sw.)[14]

## References

1. [Linnaeus, Carl von. 1753. Species Plantarum 2: 921](https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/358942#page/363/mode/1up) in Latin

1. [Tropicos, *Melampodium* L.](http://www.tropicos.org/Name/40016063)

1. [Flora of North America Vol. 21 Page 34 *Melampodium* Linnaeus, Sp. Pl. 2: 921. 1753; Gen. Pl. ed. 5, 392. 1754.](http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=120052)

1. Turner, B.L. and R.M. King. 1962. A cytotaxonomic survey of *Melampodium* (Compositae-Heliantheae) Am. J. Bot. 49:263-269.

1. Stuessy, T. F. 1979. - Cladistics of *Melampodium* (Compositae). Taxon 28: 179-195.

1. Crisci, J.V. & T.F. Stuessy. 1981. Un estudio taxonomico-numerico del genero *Melampodium* (Compositae, Heliantheae). XVIII Jornadas Argentinas de Botanica. San Miguel de Tucuman, Tucuman, Argentina, 4/7-V-1981. Abstract, pp. 53–54.

1. Stuessy, T.F. & J.V. Crisci. 1983. Phenetics of *Melampodium* (Compositae, Heliantheae). The Ohio Academy of Science, 92nd Annual Meeting Bowling Green State University. Ohio, USA, 22/24-IV-1983.

1. Bohm, B.A., and Stuessy, T.F. 1992. Flavonoid variation in *Melampodium* (Asteraceae). Biochem. Syst. & Ecol. 19: 677-679.

1. Seaman Fred C. - Fischer Nikolaus H. - Longipin, a new Melampolide from *Melampodium longipes*,1979

1. Quattrocchi, Umberto (2000). [*CRC World Dictionary of Plant Names*](https://books.google.com/books?id=kaN-hLL-3qEC). Vol. III: M-Q. CRC Press. p. 1647. ISBN 978-0-8493-2677-6.

1. [UHER, J.: *Sanvitalia speciosa* in the horticultural trade: unknown origin, uncertain identity but no *Sanvitalia*. Acta univ. agric. et silvic. Mendel. Brun., 2012, LX, No. 6, pp. 339–342](https://web.archive.org/web/20140221214528/http://www.mendelu.cz/dok_server/slozka.pl?id=57208;download=103034)

1. ["Global Compositae Checklist"](https://archive.today/20141124183855/http://dixon.iplantcollaborative.org/compositaeweb/default.aspx?Page=NameDetails&TabNum=0&NameId=3fbf4793-4876-4f2b-898b-3d015a77aa12). *archive.is*. 24 November 2014. Archived from [the original](http://dixon.iplantcollaborative.org/compositaeweb/default.aspx?Page=NameDetails&TabNum=0&NameId=3fbf4793-4876-4f2b-898b-3d015a77aa12) on 24 November 2014. Retrieved 13 March 2018.

1. ["GRIN Species Records of *Melampodium*"](http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/splist.pl?7401). *Germplasm Resources Information Network*. United States Department of Agriculture. Retrieved 2010-10-14.

1. ["2013 BONAP North American Plant Atlas. TaxonMaps"](https://bonap.net/NAPA/TaxonMaps/Genus/County/Melampodium). *bonap.net*. Retrieved 13 March 2018.

1. Strother, J. L. 1999. Compositae–Heliantheae s. l. 5: 1–232. In D.E. Breedlove (ed.) Flora of Chiapas. California Academy of Sciences, San Francisco

1. Nash, D. L. 1976. Tribe V, Heliantheae. En: Nash, D.L. & Williams, L.O. (Eds), Flora of Guatemala - Part XII. Fieldiana, Botany 24(12): 181–361, 503–570

1. Berendsohn, W.G. & A.E. Araniva de González. 1989. Listado básico de la Flora Salvadorensis: Dicotyledonae, Sympetalae (pro parte): Labiatae, Bignoniaceae, Acanthaceae, Pedaliaceae, Martyniaceae, Gesneriaceae, Compositae. Cuscatlania 1(3): 290–1–290–13

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Melampodium](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melampodium) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melampodium?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.