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fiddleneck
Scientific Name: Amsinckia
Family: Boraginaceae
Category: Dicot
Growth:
Duration:
Other Names:
Fiddleneck (Amsinckia spp.)
Fiddleneck, belonging to the genus Amsinckia, is a fascinating group of flowering plants, with several species native to California and found throughout North America.
Considerations for Pets
- Fiddleneck is known to be toxic to horses, both in its fresh form and when dried in hay.
- It has been linked to causing cirrhosis of the liver in horses due to pyrrolizidine alkaloids.
- The plant is also poisonous to other pets.
Considerations for Humans
- Skin irritation can occur from scratches caused by the plant.
- Stems and leaves are covered with bristly hair.
Taxonomy and Nomenclature
- Scientific Name: Amsinckia spp.
- Family: Boraginaceae (Borage Family)
- Common Names: Fiddleneck, Coast Fiddleneck, Menzies Fiddleneck, Small-flowered Fiddleneck, Rancher's Fiddleneck, Tarweed
- Synonyms and related species:
- Amsinckia menziesii (Lehm.) A. Nelson & J.F. Macbr. var. intermedia (Fisch. & C.A. Mey.) Ganders
- Amsinckia douglasiana
- Amsinckia eastwoodiae
- Amsinckia menziesii var. intermedia (Amsinckia intermedia)
- Amsinckia carinata (Malheur Valley Fiddleneck)
- Amsinckia tessellata (Devil's Lettuce)
- The genus name, Amsinckia, honors W. Amsinck, a patron of Hamburg.
Distribution and Habitat
- Several Amsinckia species are native to California.
- Coast Fiddleneck is found throughout California up to about 5600 feet (1700 m), inhabiting agricultural land.
- Common Fiddleneck is an introduced annual weed, locally frequent in eastern England, especially in the Breckland area.
- Rancher's Fiddleneck is native to western North America and non-native to central and eastern North America.
Morphological Characteristics and Growth Habits
- Fiddlenecks are winter annual broadleaf plants.
- Common Fiddleneck is a slender, erect, bristly annual growing 8" to 32" tall with linear to lanceolate leaves up to 6" long.
- Flowers are small, often yellow-orange, and grow along one side of the stem in a coiled spike, resembling the neck of a fiddle.
- Stems and leaves are covered with bristly hair.
- The tips of the plants are curled into a "fiddleneck."
- Large-flowered Fiddleneck grows to 50 cm tall and has bright orange flowers (14-20 mm long).
- Inflorescence is spike-like with a coiled tip.
- Flowers have 5 petals, sometimes with red/orange marks.
Ecological Role
- Most native Amsinckia species are desirable components of wildlands.
- However, Common Fiddleneck is an introduced annual weed.
- Fiddleneck can take over a crop.
- The fiddleneck gall nematode can affect the plant.
Quirky Facts
- The common name "fiddleneck" is derived from the coiled flower stems, which resemble the neck of a fiddle.
- The flowers are often described as being on the upper side of coiled spikes typical of the Borage Family.
- One source describes Amsinckia tessellata as having an "unfriendly looking" appearance.
Further Information
- Photos and information are available for Amsinckia menziesii, a yellow wildflower found in the foothills outside Yosemite.
- Additional information can be found at Dave's Garden, a community for sharing gardening tips and ideas.
- Oregon State University and Montana State University have compiled information on Coast Fiddleneck (Amsinckia menziesii).