Gynura valeriana Oliv.

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

Morphology General Habit

Perennial herb 0.6–1.8(–3) m high, with unpleasant smell; stem fleshy, erect or procumbent, leafy throughout or only in lower part, with scattered hairs.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves thinly fleshy, dark green or grey-green, purplish beneath, ovate to elliptic, 15–50 cm long (including petiolate base), 8–20 cm wide, base decurrent and auriculate, margins deeply lobed to pinnatisect with 1–10 pairs of oblong lobes, margins of lobes denticulate or dentate, apex acute, glabrous or with scattered hairs.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Capitulum

Capitula in large inflorescences of lateral and terminal crowded groups of 5–20 capitula; stalks of individual capitula 1–3 cm long; involucre obconical, 6–12 mm long; bracts of calyculus 1–6 mm long; phyllaries 10–15, 6–12 mm long, 1 mm wide, with darker tip, glabrous or with scattered hairs.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets

Florets yellow or orange, less often orange-red, scented, 10–12 mm long, expanded in upper third, lobes 1–1.2 mm long; anthers conspicuously yellow.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Achenes 2 mm long, glabrous; pappus white, 7–10 mm long.

Habitat

Moist sites in forest, on streamside rocks, and sometimes persisting after forest clearing, rarely as epiphyte in trees; 700–2150 m

Distribution

K4/K6 K6 T2 T3 T6 T7