Berkheya speciosa O.Hoffm.

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

Morphology General Habit

A perennial herb up to c. 100 cm. tall, from a woody rhizome with fusiform root tubers.

Morphology Stem

Stems annual single erect ± branched above, coarsely pilose.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves mostly basal with 1-several smaller cauline leaves; basal leaves ascending-subrosulate, petiolate.

Morphology Leaves Petiole

Petiole 2–30 cm. long, tapering-winged from the apex and spinescent sinuate-dentate, the wings reducing to setae 2–7 mm. long towards the petiole base.

Morphology Leaves Leaf lamina

Leaf lamina mostly 6–30 x 3–18 cm., ovate to lanceolate, apex subobtuse to rounded, margins subentire to repand-sinuate rarely dentate, irregularly spinose with c. 2 mm. long spines interspersed with smaller marginal spines, base rounded to cordate, sometimes ± decurrent on the petiole; upper surface scattered pilose becoming rough with age; lower surface ± felted-tomentose.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Capitulum

Capitula radiate, solitary and terminal on the branches or several ± clustered, up to c. 7 cm. in diam. across the expanded rays.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Phyllaries

Phyllaries up to c. 20 mm. long, linear-tapering from a c. 2 mm. wide base to an apical spine, spinescent-ciliate on the margins with spines up to c. 11 mm. long, pilose-araneose on the back.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Receptacle

Receptacular alveolae margins fimbriate-setose.

Ray

Rays yellow, mostly 15–25 x 2.5–4 mm.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets

Disk-florets numerous; yellow, 9–12 mm. long, darkly glandular at the apex outside; achenes c. 2 mm. long, turbinate, 8–10-ribbed, glabrous or puberulous; pappus 2–3-seriate, of narrow ± spathulate overlapping scales to c. 3 mm. long. Rays yellow, mostly 15–25 x 2.5–4 mm.

Disc

Disk-florets numerous; yellow, 9–12 mm. long, darkly glandular at the apex outside; achenes c. 2 mm. long, turbinate, 8–10-ribbed, glabrous or puberulous; pappus 2–3-seriate, of narrow ± spathulate overlapping scales to c. 3 mm. long.