Gutenbergia cordifolia Benth. ex Oliv.

Compositae, G. V. Pope. Flora Zambesiaca 6:1. 1992

Morphology General Habit

A laxly spreading subshrub to c. 2.5 m. high, woody at the base.

Morphology Stem

Stems freely branched, leafy, appressed pubescent or tomentellous; indumentum of short-stalked long-armed T-shaped hairs.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves alternate, petiolate; petiole to c. 17 mm. long in mature leaves; lamina up to c. 11 x 5 cm., smaller on the branches, mostly c. 3 x 1 cm., elliptic to ovate, subacute, cuneate below, margins subentire to serrulate; upper surface green drying olive-green, finely pilose-pubescent with long-stalked T-shaped hairs, the lower surface silvery-white felted with short-stalked matted T-shaped hairs.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Capitulum

Capitula numerous, usually laxly clustered; stalks mostly 1–15 mm. long, appressed tomentellous, bracteate with a few small leaf-like bracts.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Involucre

Involucres 5–7 x 5–10 mm., broadly campanulate-cyathiform.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Phyllaries

Phyllaries many, shortly pungent or bristle-tipped, appressed-pubescent to glabrescent, margins broadly scarious glabrous ± hyaline or purple-tinged, or margins not very pronounced; the outer phyllaries from c. 2 mm. long, lanceolate-attenuate or ovate-apiculate; the inner to c. 9 x 2 mm., oblong-lanceolate.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corollas purple, 5–7 mm. long, narrowly funnel-shaped, lobes acicular-setose near the apex, usually glabrous below.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Achenes (1)1.3–1.8 mm. long, obovoid-turbinate, with 4–5 swollen-ribs, rugulose and sparsely setose between the ribs; pappus of few very caducous barbellate setae 1–2 mm. long.

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

Morphology General Habit

Annual or short-lived perennial herb 30-200 cm tall; stems erect, branching, appressed-pubescent.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves alternate or often especially the lower subopposite or opposite, obovate-elliptic or (narrowly) ovate, 1.5-15 cm long, 0.5-6 cm wide, the lower cuneate or attenuate into a petioloid base, the upper subsessile, cuneate to rounded or cordate and semiamplexicaul at the base, all subentire, obtuse to shortly apiculate or sometimes acuminate, green and shortly pubescent above, grey-green or silvery with whitish pubescence beneath.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Capitulum

Capitula in terminal and upper axillary corymbiform cymes; stalks of individual capitula densely appressed-pubescent; involucre hemispherical, campanulate or shortly cylindrical, 2.5-7 mm in diameter at flowering time; phyllaries 3-5-seriate, pallid green and glabrous in lower part, darker green centrally and almost glabrous to pubescent with white or brownish hairs and often glandular in upper part, often purplish in upper part below the apex and on the margins, narrowly to broadly ovate, 4-8.5 mm long, obtuse to acute and shortly apiculate or pungent, with rather prominent pale hyaline finely pectinate or pectinate-fimbriate membranous margins.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Corolla purple, mauve or rarely whitish, 4.2-8 mm long, lobes 1.3-3.5 mm long, shortly stiffly hairy at the apex and sometimes also with some appressed T-shaped hairs, often glandular.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Achenes broadly obovoid-cylindrical, 1-1.5 mm long, obtusely and sometimes broadly (4-)5(-6)-ribbed, smooth or sometimes slightly rugulose and shortly ascending-hairy or almost glabrous and glandular between the ribs; pappus of few barbellate bristles 0.5-2.5 mm long, caducous.

Figures

Fig. 30/5 (achene), p.127.