Amsinckia is a genus of annual flowering plants in the family Boraginaceae (order Boraginales), commonly known as fiddlenecks. The name refers to the flower stems, which curl over at the tip in a manner reminiscent of the scroll of a fiddle's neck.
The genus comprises roughly 17 species of bristly, erect annuals native to western North America and south-western South America, though several species have naturalized widely across other continents. Plants typically grow 20 to 120 cm tall and bear small, funnel-shaped flowers that are yellow, often with an orange tinge. Most species are found at relatively low altitudes, generally below 500 metres, though Amsinckia menziesii reaches up to 1,700 m and A. tessellata up to 2,200 m.
Species identification is notoriously difficult: ranges overlap broadly, many species produce numerous varieties, and natural hybridisation is common. A detailed examination with an identification key is typically required to assign a specimen to species.
Several members of the genus are notable for their conservation status or ecological significance. Amsinckia grandiflora (Large-flowered fiddleneck), endemic to the Central Valley of California, is listed as endangered by both California and the US federal government. A. carinata (Malheur fiddleneck) is a rare Oregon endemic also listed as state-endangered. At the other extreme, A. menziesii (Rancher's fireweed) and A. tessellata (Devil's lettuce) are among the most widespread weedy species in western North America.
The seeds and foliage of fiddlenecks are toxic to livestock, particularly cattle, due to pyrrolizidine alkaloids and high nitrate concentrations. Despite this, several species were used as food and medicine by Indigenous peoples of North America.
Etymology
The genus name Amsinckia honours the patrician Amsinck family of Hamburg, specifically Wilhelm Amsinck (1752–1831), a Hamburg head of state and patron of botany. The common name "fiddleneck" describes the curling tip of the flower stem, which resembles the scroll at the head of a fiddle.
Distribution
Fiddlenecks are native to western North America — from British Columbia south through the Pacific coast states and into Baja California, and east to Arizona and Idaho — and to south-western South America (Argentina and Chile). Several species, particularly A. menziesii, have become naturalized as weeds in eastern North America, Europe, and other parts of the Old World. Most species occur below 500 m, though some reach well into montane zones.
Ecology
The seeds and foliage of Amsinckia species are poisonous to livestock, especially cattle, due to the presence of pyrrolizidine alkaloids and high nitrate concentrations. The stiff bristly hairs on stems and leaves can cause skin irritation and mechanical injury. Despite these hazards, several species were used as food (shoots, seeds, leaves) and in medicinal preparations by Native American peoples. Species identification is complicated by extensive range overlap, numerous infraspecific varieties, and frequent natural hybridisation between species.
Taxonomy Notes
The taxonomy of Amsinckia is complex and contested. Species boundaries are difficult to define because ranges overlap extensively, many species contain numerous morphologically distinct varieties, and interspecific hybridisation is common. A. carinata was long considered a synonym of A. vernicosa, but the separation of their ranges makes this synonymy implausible. GBIF recognises 17 accepted descendants under the genus within order Boraginales, family Boraginaceae.
