Porphyrostemma grantii Benth. ex Oliv.

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

Morphology General Habit

Annual herb, 0.2–1 m high, sparsely or densely branched; stems sparsely pilose.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves sessile (rarely with a pseudopetiole to 2 cm long), (narrowly) elliptic or oblong, the distal much narrower than the more proximal, 3–13 cm long, 0.2–3 cm wide, base cuneate to attenuate or occasionally slightly auriculate, margins denticulate to dentate, apex obtuse and mucronate or acute, thinly scabridulose-pubescent on both surfaces.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Capitulum

Capitula 8–13 mm long, solitary on long almost leafless stalks, the whole plant forming a lax leafy inflorescence; phyllaries linear to lanceolate, the innermost purple, 2–8 mm long, acute to subulate, densely hispid.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets

Florets mauve or purple; outer florets few to many, tube filiform, 2.7–5 mm long, lobes 0.2–0.6 mm long, style 4–8 mm long with long purple branches; inner florets many, tube cylindric, 3.3–5.2 mm long, lobes 0.6–1.4 mm long, densely pilose, anthers 2–3 mm long, style 4.2–7 mm long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Achenes ellipsoid, 0.6–1.5 mm long, densely pubescent; pappus of few (4–6) white bristles 3–4 mm long, but sometimes completely absent.

Figures

Fig. 67 (page 339).

Habitat

Acacia-Combretum wooded grassland or grassland, usually in seasonally wet sites; may be locally common; also found in hot springs, the temperature to 75° C; 400–1800 m

Distribution

K4 T1 T2 T3 T4 T5 T6 T7