Nicolasia felicioides S.Moore

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

Morphology General Habit

Annual or perennial herb 10–30 cm high, with “strong unpleasant smell” (fide Vollesen); stems glandular and (especially around nodes) pilose.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves narrowly lanceolate, 1–6 cm long, 0.1–0.6 cm wide, base attenuate and slightly decurrent, margins revolute and in the larger leaves with a few minute teeth, apex acute, densely pilose with the margins slightly scabrid through the small teeth, densely glandular.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Capitulum

Capitula 6–10 mm long, terminal and solitary, but the whole plant resembling a leafy panicle; capitula on glandular stalks of 0.6–3 cm long; phyllaries in several series, becoming recurved after anthesis, narrowly lanceolate, 4–8 mm long, 0.3–0.6 mm wide, attenuate, the outer with many stalked glands, the innermost longest, shiny white turning pale mauve or purple and papery; receptacle flat to slightly convex, with minute raised bumps.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets

Outer florets distally pale purple or mauve, many (> 50), tube filiform, 3.5–3.8 mm long, minutely toothed distally; style mauve, 4.5–5.2 mm long with branches ± 1 mm long; central florets ± 17, tube 4.2–4.5 mm long, gradually widening from a filiform base to 0.5 mm wide mouth, lobes 0.6–0.7 mm long, glandular and with porrect hairs; anthers 2.4–2.5 mm long with short tails and a 0.5 mm long narrowly ovate distal appendage, style 6–6.7 mm long, with distal part and branches covered in small hairs.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Achenes cylindrical, 0.5–0.6 mm long, short-hairy; pappus of very few (3–7) barbellate bristles 4–5 mm long.

Habitat

Sandy river-banks, dry river-beds or seepage areas; 200–1100 m

Distribution

T4 T7 T8