Helichrysum nitens Oliv. & Hiern

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

Morphology General Habit

Perennial herb with rosette of large leaves and a solitary stem 0.2–0.8 m with smaller leaves.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves grey or whitish, sessile, those of rosette ovate to lanceolate, 4–15(–30) cm long, 0.7–3.5 cm wide, base broad and clasping, apex acute and mucronate, densely tomentose on both surfaces, the indument sometimes peeling to show the glandular leaf surface; cauline leaves similar but smaller and narrower, widely spaced on the stem.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Capitulum

Capitula 15–23 mm long, heterogamous, in lax terminal cymes; stalks of individual capitula 0–5(–20) mm long; phyllaries shiny yellow or (outermost) tinged bronze or brown, 5-seriate, ovate to lanceolate, 5–17 mm long, stereome with long hairs or glandular; receptacle honeycombed.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets

Florets yellow; outer florets few, tube narrowly cylindric, 3.7–3.9 mm long, lobes 0.2–0.3 mm long and glandular, style 4–4.3 mm long; inner florets many, tube cylindric, 3.8–4.7 mm long, lobes 0.3–0.5 mm long and glandular, anthers 2.1–2.2 mm long, style 4.1–4.9 mm long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Achenes cylindric, 0.9–1.3 mm long, glabrous; pappus whitish or pale yellow, 4–5.5 mm long, the apices widened, caducous in groups.