Pectis papposa is a North American species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae. Common names include cinchweed,Floristic Diversity and Discovery in the California Desert, James M. Andre, Fremontia, VOl. 42, No.1, January 2104, p.6 photo caption common chinchweed, many-bristle chinchweed, and many-bristle fetid-marigold.Pectis papposa. NatureServe. 2012.
Description Pectis papposa grows to in height with branched stems. The leaves are long and less than wide. Blooming from July to October, the yellow flower heads are wide, with 7–9 rays around a small central disk; the bracts have 3–7 glands. The fruit is a narrow seed. Large groups of flowers can produce an odour of lemons.
Similar species Pectis angustifolia is similar, but its bracts each have only one gland at the tip.
Distribution and habitat Pectis papposa is an annual herb that generally flowers following summer monsoon rains in the desert of southwestern United States as far east as Texas and northern Mexico. In favorable years, it becomes an aspect dominant, coloring wide areas of the desert.
Ecology It is a host plant of the beet leafhopper.Kearny T. H., et al. Arizona Flora. University of California Press, Berkeley, CA. 1960.
Uses It can be found in Mexican markets sold as limoncillo. It is used in moderation to flavor meat.Soule, J. A. 1993. Systematics of Tagetes (Compositae). Ph.D. Dissertation. University of Texas at Austin. Austin, TX.
Among indigenous peoples The Seri call the plant ("small casol"), ("fragrant casol"), and ("what causes vomiting") and use it medicinally.Felger, R. S. and M. B. Moser. People of the Desert and Sea. University of Arizona Press, Tucson, AZ. 1985. The Pima use a decoction of the plant or the dried plant itself as a laxative.Curtin, L. S. M. By the Prophet of the Earth. Santa Fe. San Vicente Foundation. 1949. p. 104. The Zuni people take an infusion of the whole plant as a carminative, and use an infusion of the flowers as eye drops for snowblindness. They also use the chewed flowers as perfume before dancing in ceremonies of "the secret fraternities".Stevenson, M. C. 1915. Ethnobotany of the Zuni Indians. SI-BAE Annual Report #30. The Havasupai parch and grind the seeds and use them to make mush and soup. They also dip the fresh plant in salt water and eat it with mush or cornmeal as a condiment.Weber, S. A. and P. D. Seaman. Havasupai Habitat: A. F. Whiting's Ethnography of a Traditional Indian Culture. Tucson. The University of Arizona Press. 1985. The Pueblo use it as a spice.Castetter, E. F. 1935. Ethnobiological Studies in the American Southwest I. Uncultivated Native Plants Used as Sources of Food. University of New Mexico Bulletin 4(1) 1-44. p. 38.
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