Acmella caulirhiza Delile

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

Habit

Perennial or annual herb, decumbent or scrambling, often rooting at the nodes, up to 15 cm high or 60 cm long; stems sappy, often reddish or purplish, glabrous or pilose.

Leaves

Leaves ovate, 1–7 cm long, 0.8–5 cm wide, base attenuate, margins dentate, apex acute or obtuse, glabrous or pilose; 3-veined from base; petiole 1–15 mm long, narrowly winged.

Capitulum

Capitula solitary and hemispherical, becoming conical, radiate, 4–14 mm long, 4–10 mm in diameter, on stalks 2–7 cm long; involucre 3.5–6 mm long, of 2 series of phyllaries.

Florets

Ray florets 10–15, yellow, 2.2–3.3 mm long, the ray 1.4–2.3 mm long. Disc florets many, yellow or slightly orange, 1.1–1.9 mm long.

Ray

Ray florets 10–15, yellow, 2.2–3.3 mm long, the ray 1.4–2.3 mm long.

Disc

Disc florets many, yellow or slightly orange, 1.1–1.9 mm long.

Fruits

Achenes 1.3–2.4 mm long, glabrous; pappus usually absent but sometimes some setae present on achenes of outer florets.

Figures

Fig. 152 (page 731).

Habitat

Swampy or seasonally wet sites, river-banks, cultivated areas, forest margins; 750–3100 m

Distribution

widespread in tropical and subtropical Africa and Madagascar K1 K2 K3 K4 K5 K6 K7 T1 T2 T3 T4 T5 T6 T7