Sphaeranthus oppositifolius Ross-Craig

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

Morphology General Habit

Herb, the few parts seen to 20 cm high, possibly a creeper with erect shoots; branches striate, unwinged or with short flanges decurrent from the leaf-bases, sparsely puberulous.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves opposite, sessile, linear, 2.5–7.5 cm long, 0.2–0.4 cm wide, base half-amplexicaul to slightly auriculate, margins denticulate with callose teeth, apex spinulose, minutely hispidulous, glandular with sunken glands.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Glomerule globose or nearly so, 8–11 mm across, the proximal half covered by the lower bracts, the capitula ± hidden by the other glomerule bracts; peduncle 0.5–1 cm long, unwinged or with a narrow wing, puberulous; receptacle ± flat; glomerulebracts ovate or broadly ovate, 5–6.5 mm long, the proximal to 6 mm wide, apex cuspidate, hispidulous and glandular; capitula sessile, with 2(–3) bracts, these folded and ± 5 mm long, scarious, ciliate, puberulous.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets

Florets 5–6 per capitulum; outer florets 3–4, filiform, tube 2.8–3.5 mm long, lobes ± 0.2 mm long, style 3.6–4 mm long, briefly bifid; inner florets 2, tube narrowly urceolate, 2.5–3.5 mm long, lobes 0.4–0.5 mm long, sparsely glandular and with a few setae; anthers ± 2.2 mm long with short tails and short ovate distal appendages; style ± 5 mm long, undivided but with a minute cleft at the apex, puberulous.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Achenes narrowly obovoid to cylindrical, 0.8–1 mm long, puberulous, those of the inner florets sometimes very small and presumably sterile.

Habitat

Lake shore, on drying ground; ± 1250 m

Distribution

not known elsewhere T5