Helichrysum patulifolium Baker

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

Morphology General Habit

Perennial herb or shrublet 0.6–1.2 m high, with several stems from a woody rootstock; much branched from the base; stems pale reddish brown, white-pubescent, with some glandular hairs, densely leafy, on older stems with dense leaf scars.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves linear, spreading or recurved, sessile, 0.5–2.8 cm long, 0.1–0.3 cm wide, base auriculate, margins revolute, apex acuminate and mucronate, thinly pubescent and scabrid with glandular hairs above, white-tomentose beneath.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Capitulum

Capitula 7–11 mm long, heterogamous, many together in terminal leafy corymbs; stalks of individual capitula 1–4 mm long; phyllaries shiny yellow or orange especially in the outermost, multiseriate, lanceolate, 2.5–7 mm long, margins often erose, acute, stereome white-pubescent and glandular; receptacle honeycombed.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets

Florets yellow or orange; outer florets in a single row (few, to 23), tube narrowly cylindric, with a wider base, 2–2.7 mm long, lobes 0.2–0.3 mm long and glandular, style 2.7–3.4 mm long; inner florets many (hundreds), tube cylindrical with a wider base, 3–3.5 mm long, lobes 0.3–0.4 mm long, anthers 1.3–1.5 mm long, style 3.8–4.3 mm long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Achenes ellipsoid, 0.6–0.8 mm long, glabrous; pappus proximally white, distally yellow, 3–3.5 mm long, with subplumose tips.

Habitat

Montane grassland, on steep slopes or ridge crests; 1750–2700 m

Distribution

T4 T7