Dichrocephala integrifolia (L.f.) Kuntze

Compositae, H. Beentje, C. Jeffrey & D.J.N. Hind. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 2005

Habit

Annual herb, 0.1–1 m high, erect or procumbent, slightly stoloniferous, aromatic or pungent; stems sparsely branched, slightly angular, 4–7 mm in diameter, pale green with proximal reddish striations, thinly white-arachnoid or thin white-puberulous to subglabrous.

Leaves

Leaves pale green, paler beneath, membranous, lyrate-pinnatifid, petiole 0.3–5 cm long and at the very base half-amplexicaul, with 1–2(–3) pairs of basal lobes 0.3–3 cm long and 0.1–2 cm wide, the terminal lobe largest, ovate, 1–12 cm long, 0.6–8 cm wide, cuneate to subcordate at the base, the margins dentate-serrate, the apex acute or obtuse, sparsely arachnoid-pubescent, pilose or almost glabrous, rarely densely glandular beneath.

Capitulum

Capitula 2–5 mm long, in lax leafy compound panicles, the final leafless panicles 4–6 cm long; branches with subulate bracts 2–3 mm long; individual heads on subglabrous stalks 2–5 mm long but seemingly up to 5 cm; phyllaries spreading or reflexed, 10–16, 2-seriate, subequal with the inner slightly smaller, green with fimbriate white scarious margins, lanceolate, 1–2 mm long, 0.4–0.8 mm wide, acute or obtuse, glabrous.

Florets

Outer florets many, white, the corolla 0.5–0.8 mm long, tubular with a narrow base and 2–3 teeth, sparsely glandular; inner florets fewer than the outer, white or pale yellow, sometimes pink or mauve near the lobes, tube 0.5–0.7 mm long and 3–4 triangular lobes 0.3–0.7 mm long; anthers yellow, ± 0.4 mm long; style with lanceolate appendages.

Fruits

Achenes pale brown or yellow, sticky, obovoid, flattened, 1–1.6 mm long, 0.5–0.8 mm wide and ± 0.2 mm thick, with pale margins, glandular near the apex; pappus of the outer florets usually absent, sometimes with 1–2 bristles 0.5–0.8 mm long; pappus of inner florets often of 1–2 bristles.

Figures

Fig. 94 (page 460).