Gymnanthemum amygdalinum (Delile) Sch.Bip.

Compositae, G. V. Pope. Flora Zambesiaca 6:1. 1992

Morphology General Habit

A many-stemmed shrub or small tree up to c. 8 m. tall.

Morphology Stem

Stems slender with a pale-brown closely longitudinally furrowed bark; branches and twigs greyish pubescent, the indumentum of 1-armed T-shaped hairs.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves with petioles 0.2–1.5 cm. long; lamina mostly 7–14 x 3–4 cm., sometimes smaller or occasionally up to c. 28 x 9 cm., c. 4 times as long as wide, narrowly elliptic or lanceolate-elliptic, apex tapering acute to sub-acuminate, base ± narrowly cuneate, margins subentire to serrulate, upper surface puberulous to glabrescent, lower surface paler and ± tomentose or glabrescent with venation ± reticulate and somewhat raised.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Capitulum

Capitula very numerous in terminal, divaricately branching, rounded panicles; stalks 3–12 mm. long, stiff, tomentellous.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Involucre

Involucres 3–5 mm. long and 3–6 mm. wide, mostly wider than long, subglobose becoming hemispheric or broadly campanulate.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Phyllaries

Phyllaries many, tightly appressed-imbricate at first, thinly cartilaginous, sometimes puberulous and glandular at the apex and ciliate on the margins, otherwise glabrous; the outer phyllaries from c. 1 mm. long, ovate-elliptic; the middle phyllaries broadly oblong-elliptic, rounded to obtuse at the apex; the innermost up to c. 5 mm. long, narrowly oblong-oblanceolate with a rounded to acute apex.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets

Florets 10–24 per capitulum; corollas exserted above the involucre, whitish, sweet-scented, 6–9 mm. long, narrowly funnel-shaped.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Achenes 2.2–3.5 mm. long, narrowly turbinate to subcylindric tapering to the base, c. 10-ribbed, setulose particularly on the ribs, glandular; pappus exserted beyond the involucre, outer pappus of very caducous linear scale-like setae 1–3 mm. long, inner pappus of more persistent sordid to brownish, rigid, slender setae widening and somewhat flattened towards the apex 4–6 mm. long and barbellate.

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

Morphology General Habit

A shrub or small tree 6-15 ft. high with striate, pubescent branchlets becoming glabrous

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets

Florets sweet-scented, white, in heads 1/4 in. broad

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Pappus buff or reddish

Ecology

Common and often planted.

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

Morphology General Habit

Shrub or small tree 0.5-10 m tall, much-branched, spreading, coppice-growing, trunk up to 40 cm in diameter; bark grey or brown, smooth, becoming longitudinally fissured; slash green, becoming black on exposure; stems pubescent with asymmetrical T-shaped hairs.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves petiolate, elliptic, lanceolate or (broadly) ovate, 4-15(-28) cm long, 1.2-4(-15) cm wide, base cuneate or rounded, margins minutely remotely denticulate to coarsely serrate, apex shortly acuminate, apiculate, rather thinly pubescent and glabrescent except for the midrib above, finely crispate-pubescent especially on the veins and often ± glabrescent beneath; petiole 0.2-4 cm long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Capitulum

Capitula several to numerous in terminal compound corymbiform cymes; stalks of individual capitula 3-12 mm long, pubescent; involucre cylindrical, ovoid-cylindrical or broadly ellipsoid, 3-5 mm long; phyllaries 3-7-seriate, appressed, broadly ovate to lanceolate, 1-4.4 mm long, obtuse to rounded, apiculate, pale green, slightly darker near the apex, finely white-ciliate on the margins.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets

Florets 10-24 per capitulum, sweetly scented, strongly exserted; corolla white, occasionally tinged pale lilac, mauve or pink, 5.3-8.2 mm long, lobes erect, connivent, glabrous, 2-3 mm long, with capitate glands.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Achenes 1.7-3.5 mm long, 10-ribbed, thinly pubescent and usually glandular; outer pappus of linear scales, often scant, caducous, 0.2-1.3 mm long, inner of cream or brownish bristles 4-7 mm long, distally flattened.

Figures

Fig. 40.

Habitat

River, lake, waterhole and forest margins, woodland, wooded grassland, grassland and secondary bushland; 300-1950 m

Distribution

tropical Africa K2 K3 K4/K7 K5 K6 T1 T2 T3 T4 T5 T6 T7 U1