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VERNONIA
Vernonia anthelmintica (L.) Willd., family Compositae

The seeds of vernonia are of current interest because they are the source of an oil containing vernolic acid (Higgins 1968, Krewson et al. 1962). Yield and related results have recently been obtained (Berry et al. 1970, Lessman and Berry 1967, Massey 1969). However, not too much attention was given to the pollination requirements.

Later, through the use of flower color as a genetic marker, Berry and Lessman (1969) noted cross-pollination in open plots. Berry et al. (1970) reported 13 percent outcrossing and noted an abundance of bees. They considered the plant to be essentially self-pollinated.

If this crop is to come into commercial production, more careful and extended studies of its pollination requirement should be made.

LITERATURE CITED:

BERRY. C. D.. and LESSMAN, K. J.
1969. CONTROLLED CROSSING AND INHERITANCE OF FLOWER COLOR IN VERNONIA ANTHELMINTICA Jour. Hered. 60: 75.

BERRY, C. D., LESSMAN, K. J., and WHITE, G. A.
1970. NATURAL CROSS-FERTILIZATION IN VERNONIA ANTHELMINTICA (L . ) WILLD. Crop Sci. 10: 104-105.

HIGGINS J. J.
1968. VERNONIA ANTHELMINTICA: A POTENTIAL SEED OIL SOURCE OF EPOXY ACID. I. PHENOLOGY OF SEED YIELD. Agron Jour. 60: 55-58.

KREWSON, C. F., ARD, J. S., and RIEMENSCHNEIDER, R. W.
1962. VERNONIA ANTHELMINTICA (L. ) WILLD. TRIVERNOLIN, 1, 3- DIVERNOLIN AND VERNOLIC (EPOXYOLEIC) ACID FROM THE SEED OIL. Jour. Amer. Oil Chem. Soc. 39: 334-340.

LESSMAN, K. J., and BERRY, C.
1967. CRAMBE (ABYSSINICA) AND VERNONIA (ANTHELMINTICA) RESEARCH RESULTS AT THE FORAGE FARM IN 1966. Ind. Agr. Expt. Sta. Res. Prog. Rpt. 284,3 pp. \

MASSEY, J. H.
1969. FRUITING PATTERN OF VERNONIA ANTHELMINTICA (L.) WILLD. Agron. Jour. 61: 651-652.

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