Helichrysum quartinianum A.Rich.

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

Habit

Perennial herb from a thick rootstock, 0.2–0.6 m high; stems several from the rootstock, erect, unbranched except in the inflorescence, densely white-tomentose.

Leaves

Leaves pale grey-green, sessile, elliptic to (ob)lanceolate, 2–11 cm long, 0.4–2 cm wide, base ± semi-amplexicaul, margins entire, apex acute, grey- or whitish-tomentose on both surfaces, 3–5-veined.

Capitulum

Capitula 8–11 mm long, homogamous, in dense subglobose glomerules, solitary or in terminal paniculate corymbs; stalks of individual capitula 4–12 mm long; phyllaries shiny white or cream, ± radiating, rarely with reddish tinge (but regularly drying reddish-brown), 4–5-seriate, (narrowly) ovate to spatulate, 4–8 mm long, apex acute to rounded, proximally pubescent; receptacle fimbriae 0.5 mm long.

Florets

Florets yellow or orange, 47–90, all hermaphrodite, tube infundibuliform, 4–5.5 mm long, lobes 0.3–0.5 mm long, glandular, anthers 2–2.2 mm long, style 3.5–6.2 mm long.

Fruits

Achenes cylindrical, 0.8–1.2 mm long, glabrous; pappus white, 4–5.5 mm long, caducous in groups.

Habitat

Grassland or wooded grassland, especially where regularly burned; may be locally common; 1500–2800 m

Distribution

T1 T4 T6 T7 U1