Talk:Stevia rebaudiana

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I have read the Stevia plant repels insects, but I cannot find a source that says how? If anyone could figure this out, it would be a nice addition to the article, especially how it is safe even though it is known to repel insects (even aphids). — Preceding unsigned comment added by 67.189.65.221 (talk) 13:44, July 7, 2013 (UTC-8)

• http://bio.kuleuven.be/biofys/ESC/English/ESC.htm
• http://www.uky.edu/Ag/NewCrops/introsheets/stevia.pdf
• http://www.stevia.com/Stevia_Article.aspx?Id=8077
• http://www.everstevia.com/stevia.pdf
• http://www.truviacafe.com/truvia-sweetener-faq
• http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/proceedings1999/v4-510.html

(I looked at these sources and they're predominantly academic--though two are commercial--and all have various info on production).
— Preceding unsigned comment added by 69.142.154.10 (talk) 02:56, April 26, 2010 (UTC-8)

Plants depicted on the upper (frame) and lower photos cannot be the same species. The one I grow at home corresponds to the lower photo (and has completely different upper leaves and inflorescences than that on the upper one), but I bought it from an ordinary flower shop, so I cannot be sure of the real name. All the same the species is of growing importance and it'd be better if Wikipedia were authoritative in this case. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 149.156.20.125 (talk) 16:13, 8 December 2016 (UTC)[reply]

I also find the flower picture confusing. My recollection from botany class is that plants in the family Asteraceae have heads of multiple mini flowers (often without petals of their own) with many petal-like bracts around them (like Asters, Daisies, Sunflowers, etc., click on the Asteraceae link) and the picture of Stevia rebaudiana flowers looks like a cyme of fully formed single flowers with 6 petals each. In addition the leaves in the flower picture have smooth margins and contrasting veins, unlike the picture of foliage, with toothed margins. A quick search around the web produces the same dichotomy — Stevia rebaudiana has flowers that are most unlike composites. Comments from any botanists? AlmostElderScientist (talk) 20:38, 31 October 2018 (UTC)[reply]