e-Key v3 - Tolpis
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Interactive keys to the identification of seed plants of southern Africa using keys based on plant morphology.

Asteraceae - Lactuceae - Tolpis Adans.

Description :

  • Annual or perennial herbs, usually scapigerous, ± pubescent, with milky latex
  • Leaves radical or cauline and alternate, entire, dentate or pinnatifid
  • Capitula ligulate, many-flowered, in lax corymbose panicles, peduncles hollow
  • Involucre campanulate; with unequal bracts in 2 or 3 rows
  • Receptacle flat, epaleate, alveolate
  • Florets (ligules) bisexual, fertile; corolla strap-shaped, yellow or innermost purplish brown, pubescent outside, with tube and 5-toothed lamina
  • Anthers with base sagittate; apical appendages ovate
  • Style linear, setose above, with linear obtuse branches, sweeping hairs short
  • Cypselas obconic, closely ribbed, smooth, glabrous
  • Pappus in 2 rows, with setose bristles, persistent
  • x = 9

Nomenclature:

  • Tolpis Adans.
    • Adanson: 112 (1763)
    • Phillips: 852 (1951)
    • Hilliard: 598 (1977)
    • Bremer: 196 (1994)

Distribution & Notes:

  • Global : Species 20, Macaronesia, Mediterranean region, northern and tropical Africa
  • Southern Africa : Species 1: Tolpis capensis (L.) Sch.Bip., widespread in South Africa and Swaziland

References:

  • ADANSON, M. 1763. Familles des Plantes 2. Vincent, Paris
  • BREMER, K. 1994. Asteraceae , cladistics & classification . Timber Press, Portland, Oregon
  • HILLIARD, O.M. 1977. Compositae in Natal . University of Natal Press, Pietermaritzburg
  • PHILLIPS, E.P. 1951. The genera of South African flowering plants, edn 2. Memoirs of the Botanical Survey of South Africa No. 25