Helichrysum gloria-dei Chiov.

Extinction risk predictions for the world's flowering plants to support their conservation (2024). Bachman, S.P., Brown, M.J.M., Leão, T.C.C., Lughadha, E.N., Walker, B.E. https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/nph.19592

Conservation

Predicted extinction risk: threatened. Confidence: confident

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

Morphology General Habit

Shrub, sparsely branched with thick, woody branches; branches covered by old leaf-bases, densely leafy distally.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves linear or narrowly lanceolate, sessile, 1–4 cm long, 2.5–5 mm wide, base shortly sheathing, margins revolute, apex obtuse or acute, thickly white-tomentose on both surfaces.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Capitulum

Capitula 20–30 mm long, heterogamous, terminal and solitary but several branchlets forming a leafy corymb; stalks of individual capitula to 1 cm long, tomentose; phyllaries white or cream, shiny, multiseriate, lanceolate, 8–22 mm long, acute, glabrous except for a pubescent patch at the base; receptacle honeycombed.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets

Florets many; outer florets in one or few rows, much fewer than the inner, tube cylindric, 2.7–3 mm long, lobes 0.2–0.6 mm long, style 3.6–3.7 mm long; inner florets many, tube cylindric, 3–3.4 mm long, lobes 0.5–0.7 mm long, anthers 1.5–1.6 mm long, style ± 3.5 mm long before exsertion.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Achenes ellipsoid, 13–16 mm long, glabrous; pappus white or cream, 3.5–4.5 mm long, with subplumose apices, falling individually.

Habitat

On rocky ground; 3650–4000 m

Distribution

endemic to the Nyandarua/Aberdare Mts K3 K4