Inula mannii (Hook.f.) Oliv. & Hiern

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

Morphology General Habit

Erect perennial herb with rosette of large leaves and one to several branched flowering stems 0.9–3 m high; stems ribbed, pubescent but becoming glabrous on older parts.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves aromatic; basal leaves ovate or elliptic, thin-textured, bullate, short-petiolate, 35–90 cm long, 12–20 cm wide, base attenuate, margins dentate, apex acute and mucronate, scabridulous above, thinly pubescent beneath; cauline leaves sessile, lanceolate, 4–25 cm long, 2–12 cm wide (smaller in the inflorescence), base auriculate and semi-amplexicaul, margins dentate with callose tips, apex acute and mucronate, scabridulous above, tomentose beneath.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Capitulum

Capitula 8–13 mm long, heterogamous, in dense terminal leafy corymbs; stalks of individual capitula 2–10 mm long; phyllaries green and dark brown, ovate to linear-lanceolate, 2–10 mm long, < 1.5 mm wide, apex acute, the outer pubescent, the inner ciliate.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets

Florets dull red or purplish, all tubular; outer florets few, tube cylindric, 3.6–4.8 mm long, lobes 0.3–0.5 mm long; style 4.3–6 mm long, with long branches; inner florets many, tube narrowly infundibuliform with widened base, 4–5.7 mm long, lobes 0.5–0.6 mm long, glandular and sometimes pilose; anthers 2.8–3.3 mm long and at length almost completely exserted and becoming purple with white tails; style purple, 5.3–7.7 mm long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Achenes cylindric, 1.2–2 mm long, glabrous; pappus 3–4.5 mm long.

Habitat

Evergreen forest glades or margins, secondary montane scrub and thickets, afro-alpine bamboo and heath zones; 1500–3350 m

Distribution

K3 K4 K5 T2 T3 T4 T7 U2 U3