Asteraceae
Bothriocline

Bothriocline mbalensis (Wild & G.V.Pope) C.Jeffrey

First published in Kew Bull. 43: 261 (1988)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is Tanzania to Zambia.

Descriptions

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

Morphology General Habit
An erect annual herb.
Morphology Stem
Stems 0.2–1 m. tall, simple to widely branched above, leafy, hispid; indumentum a mixture of± patent flagelliform hairs and appressed short-stalked T-shaped hairs.
Morphology Leaves
Leaves opposite, the uppermost alternate; petioles to c. 1.5 cm. long; lamina mostly 3–12 x 0.7–6 cm., ± narrowly oblong-elliptic or lanceolate to ovate, apex acute, base cuneate to rounded, margins remotely serrulate to coarsely serrate-dentate, sparsely hispidulous to glabrescent and gland-dotted on both surfaces, hairs shortly-stalked flagelliform.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Capitulum
Capitula few to many, mostly laxly corymbiform cymose on slender stalks 1–8.5 cm. long, not clustered.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Involucre
Involucres 5–8 x 5–14 mm., spreading campanulate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Phyllaries
Phyllaries green, scarious with a distinct hyaline margin, sometimes expanded above, obscurely 3–6 nerved, sparsely hispidulous or glabrescent, finely ciliate-pectinate on the margins towards the apex, becoming widely diverging, the outer from c. 3 mm. long, the inner series subequal to c. 8 mm. long, narrowly oblong to oblong-lanceolate, tapering-acuminate to a pungent or bristle tip, sometimes pungent-cuspidate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Corollas purplish to mauve, fading somewhat, exserted above the involucre, 6–8 mm. long, widening gradually upwards, glabrous except for scattered glands; lobes to c. 3 mm. long, linear.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Achenes pale-brown, 1.5–2.5 mm. long, narrowly obovoid-oblong with c. 5 low broad ribs and narrower dark-brown gland-filled grooves in between, rounded above with a shallow apical depression; pappus absent or of a few very caducous barbellate setae 1 -3 mm. long.
[FZ]

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

Morphology General Habit
Annual herb 12-150 cm tall; stems erect, little branched, slightly ridged, finely pubescent with a mixture of patent flagelliform hairs and appressed T-shaped hairs, glabrescent.
Morphology Leaves
Leaves opposite in lower part of plant, alternate distally, sessile or with petiole to 15 mm long, elliptic, narrowly elliptic or narrowly ovate, 2-12 cm long, 0.2-6 cm wide, base cuneate to rounded, margins remotely serrulate to serrate, apex acute, sparsely shortly pubescent and glandular on both surfaces.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Capitulum
Capitula lax to congested in terminal and upper axillary compound corymbiform cymes; stalks of individual capitula 1-8 cm long, ascending-pubescent; involucres conical, 5-8 mm long, 3-9 mm in diameter at flowering time; phyllaries narrowly ovate, the outer from 3 mm long, the inner to 8 mm long, pungent, finely pubescent, sometimes purplish-tinged on the pallid fimbriate-pectinate margins.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Corolla pale lilac, pale blue or mauve, 5-9 mm long, lobes 1.5-3 mm long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Achenes 1.5-2.5 mm long, 5-ribbed, glabrous and glandular between the ribs; pappus absent or of few caducous bristles 1-3 mm long.
Habitat
Deciduous woodland, especially on hilltops; 900-1750 m
Distribution
T4 T5 T7
[FTEA]

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: low confidence
[AERP]

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