Denekia capensis Thunb.

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

Morphology General Habit

Annual (?biennial) herb, erect, 5–40 cm high, branched from the base; stems sparsely villous, glabrescent, glandular.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves dimorphic, basal ones oblanceolate with base cuneate into a winged pseudopetiole, cauline leaves sessile, oblong to slightly oblanceolate, 1–5 cm long(–15 cm in basal leaves), 0.4–1 cm wide(–1.7 cm in basal leaves), base semi-amplexicaul to auriculate, margins dentate or denticulate, apex acute or obtuse and mucronate, arachnoid-lanate beneath, pubescent but glabrescent above.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Capitulum

Capitula 3–5 mm long, in terminal lax panicles or corymbs; stalks of individual capitula 1–6 mm long, glandular with stalked glands; phyllaries lanceolate, 2.5–3 mm long, 0.4–0.6 mm wide, with membranous margins, acute and fimbriate, glandular.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets

Florets mauve or blue; outer florets with tube 1.5–2 mm long, sparsely glandular, lobes 0.5–0.7 mm long; style 1.7–1.8 mm long, included, with papillose branches; inner florets with tube slightly widening, 1.5–2 mm long, lobes 0.7–1 mm long and usually spreading or reflexed; anthers 1.3–1.4 mm long; style ± 2 mm long, with short clavate branches, densely papillose.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Achenes of outer florets narrowly ovoid, 0.5–0.7 mm long, sparsely hairy; of inner florets very narrowly cylindric, 1–1.2 mm long, < 0.1 mm in diameter; pappus absent in outer florets; in inner florets of a single seta 2–2.5 mm long, the distal 0.8 mm plumose, those of the individual florets grouped in the centre of the capitulum.

Figures

Fig. 75 (page 366).

Habitat

Streamside mud, swamps, seasonally flooded depressions; 900 m

Distribution

T8