Asteraceae
Erythrocephalum

Erythrocephalum decipiens C.Jeffrey

First published in Kew Bull. 21: 201 (1967)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is DR Congo to Mozambique. It grows primarily in the seasonally dry tropical biome.

Descriptions

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

Morphology General Habit
An erect slender suffrutex 14–60 cm. tall, from a woody rootstock with numerous spreading thong-like roots.
Morphology Stem
Stems annual, usually single, simple, or branching above, leafy with leaves ± crowded in the upper part, whitish-grey araneose-lanate with fine matted-appressed hairs.
Morphology Leaves
Leaves discolorous, sessile, mostly 7–15 x 0.4–1.5(2.5) cm., linear-elliptic, tapering-acute to the apex, narrowly cuneate and semi-amplexicaul below, margins minutely sharply serrulate ± revolute; upper surface green, glabrous, lower surface appressed greyish araneose-lanate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Capitulum
Capitula solitary and terminal on the stem, less often 2–5 terminal on branches.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Involucre
Involucres mostly 10–14 x 9–15 mm., broadly campanulate, truncate at the base, araneose-lanate to glabrescent.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Phyllaries
Outer phyllaries 6–16 mm. long, lanceolate-lorate, fimbriate-denticulate on the margins, acute or with a narrow attenuate or caudate appendage-like apical portion 2–9 mm. long; inner phyllaries up to c. 14 mm. long, tapering-lorate, grading into similar but shorter receptacular paleae; margins narrowly membranous, often purple and fimbriate-denticulate above, with linear teeth to c. 1 mm. long, sometimes apex expanded-ovate and appendage-like.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Receptacle
Receptacular paleae flat, to c. T2 mm. long, lorate, reddish-purple-tipped and denticulate about the apex.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets
Ray-florets deep-red, up to c. 17 mm. long, with exserted stamens and style but rudimentary ovary; rays up to c. 12 mm. long, widening to apex, c. 2.5 mm. at broadest part, 3-fid with lobes 0.5–2(4) mm. long, inner lip composed of 2 linear lobes c. 7 mm. long, pappus of a few caducous setae 5–6 mm. long. Disk-florets deep-red, 8–14 mm. long, narrowly tubular below with a deeply lobed campanulate limb c. 5 mm. long, lobes c. 4 mm. long linear, ovary fertile.
Ray
Ray-florets deep-red, up to c. 17 mm. long, with exserted stamens and style but rudimentary ovary; rays up to c. 12 mm. long, widening to apex, c. 2.5 mm. at broadest part, 3-fid with lobes 0.5–2(4) mm. long, inner lip composed of 2 linear lobes c. 7 mm. long, pappus of a few caducous setae 5–6 mm. long.
Disc
Disk-florets deep-red, 8–14 mm. long, narrowly tubular below with a deeply lobed campanulate limb c. 5 mm. long, lobes c. 4 mm. long linear, ovary fertile.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Achenes 5–7 x 2 mm., subcylindric, narrowly 5-ribbed, minutely puberulous; carpopodium swollen, exceeding the ribs in thickness; pappus of caducous barbellate setae c. 8 mm. long.
[FZ]

Extinction risk predictions for the world's flowering plants to support their conservation (2024). Bachman, S.P., Brown, M.J.M., Leão, T.C.C., Lughadha, E.N., Walker, B.E. https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/nph.19592

Conservation
Predicted extinction risk: threatened. Confidence: confident
[AERP]

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

Morphology General Habit
Perennial herb with small rootstock and numerous fleshy roots; stems erect, 25–30 cm tall, white-tomentose, ± glabrescent.
Morphology Leaves
Leaves cauline, sessile, linear-lanceolate, 7–15 cm long, 5–7(–25) mm wide, narrowed towards the exauriculate base, minutely serrulate with revolute margins, acute, white-tomentose with prominent midrib beneath, green and glabrous above.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Capitulum
Capitula radiate, solitary, on slender tomentose 2–3-bracteate stalks; bracts small, linear, dentate; involucre shortly campanulate-cylindrical, thinly araneose, glabrescent, 10–14 mm long; phyllaries ± 15, subequal, 3–4-seriate, broadly lanceolate to oblong, marginally laciniate-dentate at least in upper part, acuminate, the longest 9–10(–16) mm long; receptacle scales lanceolate to narrowly triangular or oblong, with laciniate-dentate sometimes slightly expanded apices, 10–12 mm long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets
Ray florets 6, female-sterile; corolla 12–22 mm long, rays crimson red, broadly oblong, apically rather deeply 3-lobed, 9.5–14 mm long; disc florets ± 20; corolla like the rays in colour, glabrous, 10–11(–14) mm long, lobes narrowly oblong, 4 mm long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Achenes finely puberulous, 5–7 mm long; pappus bristles apically a little dilated, acute, 5–8 mm long.
Habitat
Grassland; ± 600 m
Distribution
T8
[FTEA]

Sources

  • Angiosperm Extinction Risk Predictions v1

    • Angiosperm Threat Predictions
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0

  • Flora Zambesiaca

    • Flora Zambesiaca
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Flora of Tropical East Africa

    • Flora of Tropical East Africa
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Herbarium Catalogue Specimens

    • Digital Image © Board of Trustees, RBG Kew http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

  • Kew Backbone Distributions

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2024. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2024. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0