e-Key <span id="jodit_selection_marker_1706790968940_9012400384008041" data-jodit_selection_marker="start" style="line-height: 0; display: none;"></span>v3 - As<span id="jodit_selection_marker_1706790968940_26483496138718365" data-jodit_selection_marker="end" style="line-height: 0; display: none;"></span>pilia
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Interactive keys to the identification of seed plants of southern Africa using keys based on plant morphology.

Asteraceae - Heliantheae - Aspilia Thouars

Description:

  • Annual or perennial herbs, erect or prostrate
  • Leaves opposite, simple, entire or toothed
  • Capitula radiate, terminal and solitary, in lax cymes, or ± sessile in condensed corymbs in upper leaf axils
  • Involucre ovoid, campanulate or hemispherical; bracts in 2 or 3 rows, the outer herbaceous
  • Receptacle convex or somewhat conical, paleate; paleae conduplicate, enfolding disc florets
  • Ray florets neuter or female, sterile; corolla strap-shaped, patent, conspicuous, orange, yellow, white, lilac or various shades of purple
  • Disc florets bisexual, fertile; corolla same colour as ray florets, tubular, dilated above, 5-fid
  • Anthers with base obtuse or very shortly saggitate; apical appendage triangular
  • Style branches narrowly oblong with subulate apical appendage, conspicuous sweeping hairs outside
  • Cypselas obovoid, bilaterally compressed
  • Pappus a laciniate cupule
  • x = 7, 13 (6, 17, 1 report each) (aneuploids, B-chromosomes, polyploidy)

Nomenclature:

  • Aspilia Thouars
    • Thouars: 12 (1806)
    • Oliver & Hiern: 378 (1877)
    • Wild: 199 (1966)
    • Phillips: 816 (1951)
    • Hilliard: 393 (1977)
  • Wedelia Jacq. in part
    • Karis & Ryding: 600 (1994)

Synonomy Notes:

  • Aspilia is regarded as a synonym of Wedelia by some authors, but until a thorough revision of the genus in Africa is done, the genus is recognised as such

Distribution & Notes:

  • Global: Species 60, tropical America, Africa and Madagascar
  • Southern Africa: Species 4, known from Namibia, Botswana, Northern Province, Gauteng, Mpumalanga, KwaZulu-Natal and Eastern Cape

References:

  • HILLIARD, O.M. 1977. Compositae in Natal. University of Natal Press, Pietermaritzburg
  • KARIS, P.O. & RYDING, O. 1994. Tribes Helenieae and Heliantheae. In K. Bremer, Asteraceae, cladistics and classification. Timber Press, Portland, Oregon
  • OLIVER, D & HIERN, W.P. 1877. Compositae. Flora of tropical Africa 3
  • PHILLIPS, E.P. 1951. The genera of South African flowering plants, edn 2. Memoirs of the Botanical Survey of South Africa No. 25
  • THOUARS, L.M.A. DU PETIT. 1806. Genera nova madagascariensia. Paris
  • WILD, H. 1966. The African species of the genus Aspilia Thouars. Kirkia 5(2)

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