Sphaeranthus samburuensis Beentje

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

Morphology General Habit

Perennial herb with thick rootstock, subshrubby at base, shoots to 25 cm high; stems wingless, sparsely pilose, densely glandular with stalked glands.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves lanceolate, 1–5 cm long, 0.2–0.6 cm wide, base subauriculate, not decurrent, margins denticulate with callose teeth, apex acute and slightly callose, densely glandular with a mixture of sessile and stalked glands.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Glomerules reddish purple, subglobose to broadly ovoid, 6–7 mm long, 6–8 mm in diameter; peduncle 2–5 mm long, not winged; receptacle horizontal and flat in longitudinal section; glomerule bracts green (proximal) to mauve (distal), forming a cup around the lower half or two-thirds of the glomerule, ovate, 3.5–5 mm long, to 3 mm wide, acuminate with a spinulose apex, glandular, the inner bracts also puberulous; capitula sessile, each with 4 bracts, the laterals folded, oblong, 3.5–4 mm long, distally ciliate and slightly puberulous, obtuse.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets

Florets:outer florets (1–)6, tube filiform or nearly so with a slightly widened base becoming corky, tube 2.5–2.8 mm long, lobes 0.1–0.2 mm long, style 2.8–3 mm long; inner floret 1, tubular and becoming corky, sparsely glandular, tube 1.5–2.8 mm long, lobes 0.3–0.4 mm long, anthers 1.8–1.9 mm long, style 2.3–5 mm long, slightly bifid.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Achenes of outer florets 0.7–1 mm long, glandular; of inner florets 1.2–1.4 mm long, fertile, or stipe-like and ?sterile, glabrous.

Habitat

At waterholes or riverine in the Acacia-Commiphora zone; ± 1200 m

Distribution

not known elsewhere K1 K4