Volutaria boranensis (Cufod.) Wagenitz

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

Morphology General Habit

Annual or perennial herb, 30–90 cm high, sometimes woody near the base, much-branched; stems angular, sparsely glandular, arachnoid but rapidly glabrescent.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves pinnatifid, sessile, obovate in outline, 2–9 cm long, 0.8–4 cm wide, base with a winged pseudopetiole, the very base briefly decurrent on the stem, lobes 3–5 pairs and a terminal lobe, obovate, dentate, apex acute, tomentose or arachnoid above but glabrescent, densely scabridulous but glabrescent beneath, glandular.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Capitulum

Capitula solitary on axillary or terminal branches, on stalks 1–16 cm long with reduced leaves or bracts, but the whole plant branching to form a lax inflorescence; involucre obconical, 15–20 mm long; phyllaries green with paler margins and tipped black, erect, lanceolate, 3–17 mm long, acute, glandular and thin-pubescent; receptacle with slightly flattened setae to 11 mm long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets

Florets many (several tens); outer florets few, in a single row, sterile, tube filiform, 5–12 mm long, with 2–3(–4) linear lobes 2–3 mm long; inner florets with tube cylindrical from a wider base and slightly funnel-shaped distally, 3.3–4.8 mm long, pubescent; corolla proximally whitish, distally pale pink to lilac, five lobes strap-shaped, 1.5–2 mm long, erect.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Achenes brownish, ellipsoid, 2.5–5 mm long, slightly ribbed, hairy, with a slightly widened distal rim; pappus set inside the rim, of several rows of narrow scales 0.5–4 mm long, rounded or ciliate at the apex.

Figures

Fig. 14.

Habitat

Grassland and Acacia grassland, in overgrazed and eroded sites and on disturbed ground, may be locally abundant; 900–2100 m

Distribution

The pappus scales close around the florets when moist, and spread out when drying. K1 K3 K4 K6 T2