Invasive Species Compendium

Detailed coverage of invasive species threatening livelihoods and the environment worldwide

Datasheet

Inula britannica
(british yellowhead)

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Datasheet

Inula britannica (british yellowhead)

Index

Summary

  • Last modified
  • 22 November 2019
  • Datasheet Type(s)
  • Invasive Species
  • Preferred Scientific Name
  • Inula britannica
  • Preferred Common Name
  • british yellowhead
  • Taxonomic Tree
  • Domain: Eukaryota
  •   Kingdom: Plantae
  •     Phylum: Spermatophyta
  •       Subphylum: Angiospermae
  •         Class: Dicotyledonae
  • Summary of Invasiveness

  • Inula brittanica can reproduce vegetatively from root sections or rhizomes. It contaminates and competes with nursery stock. As humans move hosta rootstock, I. brittanica rhizomes may hitchhike. In Michigan, USA, nurserymen repor...

  • Principal Source

  • US Federal Noxious Weed List (draft fact sheet 2011)

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    Compendia
    CAB International
    Wallingford
    Oxfordshire
    OX10 8DE
    UK
    compend@cabi.org
  • Distribution map More information

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Identity

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Preferred Scientific Name

  • Inula britannica L.

Preferred Common Name

  • british yellowhead

Other Scientific Names

  • Inula japonica Thunb.

International Common Names

  • English: British elecampane; meadow fleabane
  • Chinese: ou ya xuan fu hua; xuan fu hua

Summary of Invasiveness

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Inula brittanica can reproduce vegetatively from root sections or rhizomes. It contaminates and competes with nursery stock. As humans move hosta rootstock, I. brittanica rhizomes may hitchhike. In Michigan, USA, nurserymen report spread by machinery. The seeds have a long pappus so are assumed to be capable of wind dispersal. This plant is likely spread by water fowl (Blamey & Wilson, 1989), and by man because of its purported medicinal value.

I. britannica was added to the US Federal Noxious Weed List and seed list in 2010.

Taxonomic Tree

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  • Domain: Eukaryota
  •     Kingdom: Plantae
  •         Phylum: Spermatophyta
  •             Subphylum: Angiospermae
  •                 Class: Dicotyledonae
  •                     Order: Asterales
  •                         Family: Asteraceae
  •                             Genus: Inula
  •                                 Species: Inula britannica

Description

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I. brittanica is an erect herb, growing 15-75 centimeters (6-30 inches) tall. The stems can be covered with dense white hairs. It can be biennial or perennial. The leaves are elliptical to ovate elliptical, 3.8-15 centimeters (1.5-6 inches) (about 5 times the length of the seed) long, with smooth margins. They are sparsely pubescent on the upper surface and densely pubescent on the lower surface. The weed reproduces by seeds, short rhizomes, or by root fragments. A common arrangement is a mother plant surrounded by 6-8 “satellite” plants all connected by common rhizomes. Flowers are yellow, daisy-like, and occur in clusters of one to three. The plant typically flowers from July to August. The plant can reproduce vegetatively from root sections.

Plant Type

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Biennial
Herbaceous
Perennial

Distribution

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I. brittanica is native to Europe and temperate Asia. It prefers wet habitats, including river and stream margins, marshes, ditches, and wet woods and grasslands. The roots and rhizomes of I. brittanica intertwine with the root systems of Hosta plants imported into the USA from the Netherlands. This contamination can remain in the Hosta root systems even after washing and shipment. In Canada, I. brittanica was introduced into Ontario around 1928, along the Etobicoke River and into Quebec (in 1979 or before) on Dupas Island in the St. Lawrence River, where it forms a colony in a pasture. A specimen was collected in 1915 close to New York City on Long Island. The species, collected in an area that is now densely populated, likely did not persist. In the early 1990’s, I. brittanica was found growing in a few nurseries in Michigan. Concern was expressed to USDA APHIS and the National Plant Board. Recent survey in the United States in eastern and southern states found 9 states negative for I. brittanica, with populations confirmed only in Michigan.

Distribution Table

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The distribution in this summary table is based on all the information available. When several references are cited, they may give conflicting information on the status. Further details may be available for individual references in the Distribution Table Details section which can be selected by going to Generate Report.

Last updated: 17 Dec 2021
Continent/Country/Region Distribution Last Reported Origin First Reported Invasive Reference Notes

Asia

ArmeniaPresentNative
AzerbaijanPresentNative
ChinaPresentPresent based on regional distribution.
-HeilongjiangPresentNative
-XinjiangPresentNative
GeorgiaPresentNative
IndiaPresentPresent based on regional distribution.
-Jammu and KashmirPresentNative
IranPresentNative
JapanPresentPresent based on regional distribution.
-HokkaidoPresentNative
-HonshuPresentNative
-KyushuPresentNative
-ShikokuPresentNative
KazakhstanPresentNative
KyrgyzstanPresentNative
MongoliaPresentNative
South KoreaPresentNative
TajikistanPresentNative
TurkeyPresentNative
TurkmenistanPresentNative
UzbekistanPresentNative

Europe

AlbaniaPresentNative
AustriaPresentNative
BelarusPresentNative
BelgiumPresentNative
BulgariaPresentNative
CzechoslovakiaPresentNative
Federal Republic of YugoslaviaPresentNative
DenmarkPresentNative
EstoniaPresentNative
FrancePresentNative
GermanyPresentNative
GreecePresentNative
HungaryPresentNative
ItalyPresentNative
LatviaPresentNative
LithuaniaPresentNative
MoldovaPresentNative
NetherlandsPresentNative
NorwayPresentNative
PolandPresentNative
RomaniaPresentNative
RussiaPresentPresent based on regional distribution.
-Eastern SiberiaPresentNative
-Russian Far EastPresentNative
-Southern RussiaPresentNative
-Western SiberiaPresentNative
SpainPresentNative
SwedenPresentNative
SwitzerlandPresentNative
UkrainePresentNative

North America

CanadaPresentPresent based on regional distribution.
-OntarioPresentIntroduced
-QuebecPresentIntroduced
United StatesPresentPresent based on regional distribution.
-District of ColumbiaPresentIntroduced
-New YorkPresentIntroduced

Habitat List

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CategorySub-CategoryHabitatPresenceStatus
Terrestrial Natural / Semi-naturalNatural grasslands Principal habitat
Terrestrial Natural / Semi-naturalRiverbanks Principal habitat
Terrestrial Natural / Semi-naturalWetlands Principal habitat

Pathway Causes

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CauseNotesLong DistanceLocalReferences
Hitchhiker Yes
Medicinal use Yes

Pathway Vectors

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VectorNotesLong DistanceLocalReferences
Host and vector organisms Yes
Machinery and equipment Yes
Plants or parts of plants Yes
Wind Yes

Plant Trade

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Plant parts liable to carry the pest in trade/transportPest stagesBorne internallyBorne externallyVisibility of pest or symptoms
Roots weeds/roots Yes Pest or symptoms usually visible to the naked eye

Impact Summary

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CategoryImpact
Crop production Negative
Economic/livelihood Negative

Risk and Impact Factors

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Invasiveness
  • Proved invasive outside its native range
  • Reproduces asexually
Impact outcomes
  • Negatively impacts agriculture
  • Negatively impacts livelihoods
Likelihood of entry/control
  • Highly likely to be transported internationally accidentally

Uses List

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Medicinal, pharmaceutical

  • Traditional/folklore

Prevention and Control

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Due to the variable regulations around (de)registration of pesticides, your national list of registered pesticides or relevant authority should be consulted to determine which products are legally allowed for use in your country when considering chemical control. Pesticides should always be used in a lawful manner, consistent with the product's label.

A pest risk assessment finalized by APHIS (Lehtonen and Schall, 2000) ranked I. brittanica medium in consequences of introduction and high in likelihood of introduction, resulting in an overall medium/high risk potential in the U.S. The species was added to the Federal Noxious Weed List and seed list in 2010.

Bibliography

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Alabama Cooperative Extension System, July 2002. Accessed 15 June 2009. http://www.aces.edu/pubs/docs/A/ANR-1227/ANR-1227.pdf

Blamey, M. and Grey-Wilson, C. 1989. The Illustrated Flora of Britain and Northern Europe.

Lehtonen , Polly and Schall, Robert A. 2000. Weed Risk Assessment Inula britannica L(British elecampane). Updated November, 2004 and February 2009. http://www.aphis.usda.gov/plant_health/plant_pest_info/weeds/riskassessments.shtml

Morton, Cynthia M., Hansen, Curtis J., Karr, Guy. “Inula brittanica L.—An Aggressive Weed Alert.”

Principal Source

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US Federal Noxious Weed List (draft fact sheet 2011)

Distribution Maps

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