e-Key <span id="jodit_selection_marker_1707214027315_016024738850587417" data-jodit_selection_marker="start" style="line-height: 0; display: none;"></span>v3 - Brachy<span id="jodit_selection_marker_1707214027315_25978533027367745" data-jodit_selection_marker="end" style="line-height: 0; display: none;"></span>laena
SANBI Flora Keys Logo
Interactive keys to the identification of seed plants of southern Africa using keys based on plant morphology.

Asteraceae - Tarchonantheae - Brachylaena R.Br.

Description:

  • Shrubs or trees, dioecious, rarely florets bisexual
  • Leaves alternate, shortly petiolate or subsessile, entire or spinulose-denticulate or repand or coarsely dentate towards apex, glabrous above and often pale tomentose beneath
  • Synflorescences arranged in clusters or glomerules; capitula pedunculate or sessile, unisexual, discoid; flowers yellow
  • Involucre oblong, ovoid or campanulate; bracts in 3 to many rows, imbricate
  • Receptacle flat or slightly convex, honeycombed, epaleate
  • Male capitula with corolla tubular below, expanded above, usually 5(6)-lobed
  • Anthers calcarate and caudate; apical appendage long, flat; endothecial tissue polarised
  • Style terete, filiform, thickened above, simple or bifid; ovary abortive
  • Pappus of scabrid or subplumose bristles in 1 row, sometimes sparingly developed
  • Female capitula with corolla filiform, 5-lobed; staminodes sometimes present
  • Style branches short, flat, ovate-lanceolate
  • Cypselas subcylindric-fusiform, ± 8-ribbed, pubescent or subglabrous
  • Pappus of scabrid bristles in several rows

Nomenclature:

  • Brachylaena R.Br.
    • Brown: 115 (1817)
    • Harvey: 115 (1865)
    • Phillips & Schweickerdt: 205 (1937)
    • Paiva: 368 (1972)
    • Hilliard: 105 (1977)
    • Pope: 5 (1992)
    • Bremer: 97 (1994)
    • Herman: 42 (1998)

Distribution & Notes:

  • Global: Species ± 15, Africa and Mascarene islands
  • Southern Africa: Species 9, widespread but absent from Namibia, Free State and Northern Cape

References:

  • BREMER, K. 1994. Asteraceae, cladistics & classification. Timber Press, Portland, Oregon
  • BROWN, R. 1817. 11. Some observations on the natural family of plants called Compositae. The Transactions of the Linnean Society of London 12
  • HARVEY, W.H. 1865. Compositae. Flora capensis 3
  • HERMAN, P.P.J. 1998. Asteraceae. A note on the Brachylaena discolor complex. Bothalia 28,1
  • HILLIARD, O.M. 1977. Compositae in Natal. University of Natal Press, Pietermaritzburg
  • PAIVA, J.A.R. 1972. New and little known species from the Flora zambesiaca area. 22. Notes on Inuleae. Boletim da Sociedade Broteriana 46 sér. 2
  • PHILLIPS, E.P. & SCHWEICKERDT, H.G. 1937. A revision of the South African species of Brachylaena R.Br. Bothalia 3
  • POPE, G.V. 1992. 97. Compositae. Flora zambesiaca 6,1

Copyright of the content hosted by this website remains with the South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI), unless stated otherwise.
Material from this site may be used in other media, provided that SANBI is acknowledged by the name South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI) or refer to the 'How to cite this resource' paragraph on the Home page.
Liability disclaimer: Visitors use this site at their own risk and SANBI is not liable for any of the consequences resulting therefrom.