Erigeron steudelii (Sch.Bip. ex A.Rich.) Sch.Bip. ex Schweinf.

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

Morphology General Habit

Annual or biennial herb, becoming woody at base, 0.3–2 m high; stems erect or scandent, branched, green, cylindrical or angular, ± pubescent and glandular.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves pale green, (at least the proximal) spatulate with an ovate expanded part, the more distal ones less spatulate, 1.5–14 cm long, 0.5–6 cm wide, at the base with a winged pseudopetiole with the very base semi-amplexicaul to auriculate, the two auricles together 0.5–1.5 cm wide, the margins dentate, the apex acute, sparsely to densely hispidulous to pubesent, sometimes sparsely glandular and aromatic.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Capitulum

Capitula 3–7 mm long, up to 15 together to form subglobose cymes, several cymes together forming the terminal leafy panicles or corymbs; stalks of individual capitula 2–6 mm long, pubescent and glandular; phyllaries ± 30, 3–4-seriate, green tipped with yellow or red, lanceolate, the outermost smallest, 2–5 mm long, 0.5–1 mm wide, margins scarious and pale, apex acute, pubescent to glabrescent; receptacle toroid, with some small teeth around the areoles.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets

Florets whitish, cream or pale yellow, the marginal florets many (> 100), the tube 0.7–1.5 mm long, minutely toothed at apex, style 2.6–3.3 mm long; central florets 6–9, tube 2.1–2.7 mm long, lobes 0.5–0.8 mm long, glabrous or puberulous; anthers 1–1.4 mm long with narrowly triangular appendages; style 2.6–3.2 mm long, with flattened triangular and papillose branches 0.7–0.8 mm long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Achenes obovoid, compressed or some of the central ones cylindrical and angled, 0.8–1 mm long, 3–4-ribbed, glabrous or sparsely pubescent; pappus of many whitish to pale brown setae 3–4.5 mm long, inserted on a ring.

Habitat

A weed of cultivation, also in grassland, secondary bushland, wooded grassland, forest margins, bamboo zone, along rivers; 1050–3100 m

Distribution

K1 K2 K3 K4 K5 K6 T1 T2 T3 T6 T7 U2 U3 U4

Compositae, C. D. Adams. Flora of West Tropical Africa 2. 1963

Morphology General Habit

An erect or scandent much-branched shrubby herb 3-6 ft. high

Morphology Leaves

Thin pale green leaves

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Flower-heads with green involucral bracts and pale yellow florets

Ecology

At the margins of montane woodland.