Stomatanthes africanus (Oliv. & Hiern) R.M.King & H.Rob.

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

Morphology General Habit

Perennial sub-shrub 20–120 cm high, with 1-several stems arising from a xylopodium 1–3.5 cm in diameter, the stems erect, rigid, woody, somewhat branched, colour from straw-colour through reddish brown to black, short-pubescent, more densely so on apical part.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves alternate to sub-opposite, sessile to shortly petiolate, petiole to 6 mm, blade lanceolate to ovate, 0.8–6.2(–8) cm long, 0.2–2.2(–4.5) cm wide, margins often slightly thickened, entire to serrate, sometimes irregularly lobulate, pubescent, especially on veins, sometimes glabrous or pubescence confined to leaf margins, glandular-punctate.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescence of dense corymbs; bracts 3.5–10 mm long, linear to linear-lanceolate and foliaceous; capitula 8–14 mm long, 3–6 mm wide, stalks of individual capitula 2–10 mm, apparently extending in fruit up to 18 mm; phyllaries 5–7, 1–2-seriate, if outer series present 3–5 mm long, 1–1.5 mm wide, somewhat shorter than inner series, 4–9 mm long, 1–3.5 mm wide, green, sometimes with reddish or purplish tips, lanceolate to oblong-ovate, pubescent, ± glandular-punctate towards apices, with scarious, fimbriate margins, apex obtuse; receptacle flat.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets

Florets 4–5, corolla 5–7 mm long, whitish, narrowly campanulate at the apex, 5-lobed, outer surface ± covered with hairs and/or small glands; anthers brown, basally obtuse with ovate apical appendages, anther-collars thickened; style-arms linear, very long, often contorted, shortly appendaged.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Achenes brown, 3–4 mm long, ± 6-ribbed, setuliferous or with some evidence of setae and often with glands, straw-coloured carpopodium evident; pappus uniseriate, straw-coloured, 5–8 mm long, dense.

Figures

Fig. 180 (page 826).

Habitat

Pyrophyte, often found on regularly burned highland grassland, a weed of cultivation, also in woodland; grows in dense clumps;(350–)1050–2450 m

Distribution

K3 K5 T1 T4 T5 T7 T8 U1 U2 U3 U4