Leucoptera oppositifolia B.Nord.
LC Indigenous Endemic

Morphological description

Erect or ascending shrublets 2-6 dm high, moderately to richly branched. Leaves opposite (rarely some subopposite or alternate), rather laxly set (internodes mostly 0.5-1 cm, sometime up to 2 cm long), linear-oblanceolate, 0.5-2(-2.5) cm long, 1-2(-3) mm thick, somewhat narrowed towards the base, usually entire, seldom 3(-4)-lobed below the middle, somewhat flattened, leathery, greyish green, obtuse. Peduncles erect, often flexuous when young, 5-18 cm long, 0.6-1 mm thick, faintly striate. Involucre 0.6-1.3 cm wide. Outer (visible) involucral bracts ca 12, broadly ovate to elliptic-oblong, with 5-7 faint resiniferous veins, herbaceous, with brownish membranous margins and obtuse-rounded tips. Innermost involucral bracts 4-5, shorter than the largest outer ones, ± oblong, truncate-emarginate, submembranous. Receptacle convex-hemispherical, nude. Ray-florets ca 8(6-11). Tube 1-1.3 mm long, somewhat compressed, glandular in the upper part. Lamina oblong-obovate-elliptic-oblong, 3-7 mm long, 2.5-3.5 mm wide, 5-7-veined, apically shallowly 3-lobed, white, becoming pink-reddish and reflexed when old. Style branches 0.3-0.5 mm long, oblong, slightly emarginate, with a central resin excretion. Disc-florets 25-50. Corolla 2.4-2.8 mm long. Tube 1-1.3 mm long, broadly cylindrical, glandular-hirsute in the upper part. Limb campanulate, ca 1.5 mm long; lobes deltoid-ovate, 0.5-0.7 mm long, with a small resin dot near the tip (rarely 2-3 dots). Anthers ca 1 mm long incl. the ovate-triangular obtuse-subacute appendage. Style branches ca 0.5 mm long, with a central resin excretion, truncate. Pollen grains ca 37x 39 ? (spines included). Total number of spines in one pollen grain ca 38. Exine as in L. subcarnosa. From: Nordenstam, RB. 1976. Reclassification of Chrysanthemum L. in South Africa. Bot. Not. 129(2): 137-165. [All rights reserved]

Shrublet, 0.2-0.6 m tall. Leaves opposite, rarely some subopposite or alternate, linear-oblanceolate, non-fleshy, seldom 3(4)-lobed below middle. Flowerheads radiate, terminal, solitary on long peduncles; involucre campanulate-hemispherical, bracts imbricate, tips obtuse or rounded; ray florets (6-)8(-11), white, becoming pink-reddish and reflexed when old, shallowly 3-lobed; disc florets yellow. Cypselas oblong-obovate, compressed and winged; pappus of 3 scales. From: Herman, PPJ. 2013. Asteraceae: Leucoptera. In: DA Snijman (ed.), Plants of the Greater Cape Floristic Region 2: The Extra Cape flora. Strelitzia 30: 304-304. South African National Biodiversity Institute, Pretoria. [CC BY]

Diagnostic description

This new species is distinguished by its opposite, non-fleshy leaves, and the resin glands in the corolla lobes. The latter character recurs in L. nodosa, which, however, has alternate, filiform, often trifid leaves with a distinctly swollen base, and larger florets. From: Nordenstam, RB. 1976. Reclassification of Chrysanthemum L. in South Africa. Bot. Not. 129(2): 137-165. [All rights reserved]

Habitat

Like L. subcarnosa it is apparently confined to quartzite outcrops. From: Nordenstam, RB. 1976. Reclassification of Chrysanthemum L. in South Africa. Bot. Not. 129(2): 137-165. [All rights reserved]

Quartzite outcrops. From: Herman, PPJ. 2013. Asteraceae: Leucoptera. In: DA Snijman (ed.), Plants of the Greater Cape Floristic Region 2: The Extra Cape flora. Strelitzia 30: 304-304. South African National Biodiversity Institute, Pretoria. [CC BY]

Distribution

L. oppositifolia is only know n from my own collections near Komkans in the north western corner of the Knersvlakte region. From: Nordenstam, RB. 1976. Reclassification of Chrysanthemum L. in South Africa. Bot. Not. 129(2): 137-165. [All rights reserved]

NW Knersvlakte from Komkans and Kerskloof areas. From: Herman, PPJ. 2013. Asteraceae: Leucoptera. In: DA Snijman (ed.), Plants of the Greater Cape Floristic Region 2: The Extra Cape flora. Strelitzia 30: 304-304. South African National Biodiversity Institute, Pretoria. [CC BY]

Flowering time

August to September

Altitude

0 to 500 m

Occurrence records map

This map contains point-based occurrences at different locations

iNaturalist: BODATSA: Data partners records:

Residence status

Occurrence in the Flora of Southern Africa (FSA) countries and South African provinces. Residence status indicates if a taxon is indigenous, endemic, naturalised or invasive in a specific region. This data is based on specimen records and literature

FSA

SA

BOT

NAM

ESW

LES

WC

EC

NC

FS

GA

KZN

LP

MP

NW

Absent

Indigenous

Endemic

Naturalised

Invasive

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Names and Sources

Accepted name
Leucoptera oppositifolia B.Nord.
Synonym(s)

Classification

KINGDOM Plantae

SUBKINGDOM Phanerogamae

SUBFAMILY Asteroideae

9 results for Leucoptera oppositifolia B.Nord.

Specimen records

Barcode: PRE0486228-0 Collector(s) & number: Nordenstam, RB, 1738 | 1974-9-8

South Africa, Western Cape, VAN RHYNSDORP DIV.; KERSKLOOF; 1 KM. NE. OF KERSKLOOF AND 10 KM. NW. OFKOMKANS FARM

Data Resource: BODATSA View record

Barcode: PRE0861686-0 Collector(s) & number: Koekemoer, M, 4298 | 2012-8-5

South Africa, Western Cape, Knersvlakte; Moedverloor protected area.

General notes: Gentle slope. Abundant but localised. Plants sparsely branched, leaves cylindrical, succulent. Rays white, discs yellow.

Data Resource: BODATSA View record

Barcode: NBG1474389-0 Collector(s) & number: Koekemoer, M, 4298 | 2012-8-5

South Africa, Western Cape, Knersvlakte; Moedverloor protected area.

General notes: Gentle slope. Abundant but localised. Plants sparsely branched, leaves cylindrical, succulent. Rays white, discs yellow.

Data Resource: BODATSA View record

Barcode: NBG0200051-0 Collector(s) & number: Helme, NA, 3085 | 2004-8-28

South Africa, Western Cape, Vanrhynsdorp. Northern Knersvlakte, 15 km SE of Nuwerus, on Vlaminkeberg (Rooiberg).

General notes: Succulent Karoo. Gentle, mountain slope. Well-drained, sandy, rocky soil. Baserock. Quartzite. Full sun. S aspect. No biotic effect seen. Woody shrub. Discs yellow, rays white. Some leaves gaucous. Flowers and fruit present. Plant height 0.35 m. Uncommon.

Data Resource: BODATSA View record

Barcode: NBG0197200-0 Collector(s) & number: Schmiedel, 8908 | 2001-8-30

South Africa, Western Cape, Moedverloren 208. Site number 028007. Lat:31°27'41"S; Long:18°26'49"E.

General notes: Local occasional semi-deciduous perennial erect dwarf shrub. Yellow flowers. Plant height 40 m. Endemic to quartz fields.

Data Resource: BODATSA View record

Barcode: NBG0113999-0 Collector(s) & number: Nordenstam, RB, 1738 | 1974-9-8

South Africa, Western Cape, Vanrhynsdorp Dist. 1 km NE of Kerskloof (= ca 10 km NW of Farm Komkans), small quartzite outcrop.

General notes: Gentle slope, SE aspect. Shrubs 2 - 5 dm. Leabes coriaceous, greyish-green. Rays white, eventually pink-reddish. Disc yellow.

Data Resource: BODATSA View record

Barcode: NBG0210358-0 Collector(s) & number: Helme, NA, 4912 | 2007-9-7

South Africa, Western Cape, N of Knersvlakte, 10 km NE of Nuwerus, flats SE of Blesberg. 31°06'13.8" S; 18°26'31.7" E.

General notes: Succulent Karoo biome. Knersvlakte Quartz Vygieveld vegetation. Plain. Well-drained, loam, stony soil. Shale, quartzite. Full sun. E aspect. Gentle slope. No biotic effect seen. Dwarf shrub. Disc yellow, rays white to mauve. Leaves barely succulent. Flowers present. Plant height 0.1- 0.2 m. Uncommon, very localised. Quartz patch.

Data Resource: BODATSA View record

Barcode: NBG1574146-0 Collector(s) & number: Zhigila, DA, 1068 | 2021-9-14

South Africa, Western Cape, Vanrhynsdorp. Moedverloren farm, Knersvlakte, Namaqualand.

Data Resource: BODATSA View record

Observation records

Date: 9/4/2022 8:07:00 PM

Western Cape

Data Resource: iNaturalist View record

Plant occurence records per dataset

Plant occurence records per year

Occurrence records map

This map contains point-based occurrences at different locations

iNaturalist: BODATSA: Data partners records:

2013

SERIES CHAPTER

Asteraceae: Leucoptera Herman, PPJ

In: DA Snijman (ed.), Plants of the Greater Cape Floristic Region 2: The Extra Cape flora. Strelitzia 30: 304-304

South African National Biodiversity Institute, Pretoria

1976

PERIODICAL/JOURNAL

Reclassification of Chrysanthemum L. in South Africa Nordenstam, RB

Botaniska Notiser 129(2)137-165

No results found for Leucoptera oppositifolia B.Nord.

Status

Status and criteria

LC

Assessor(s)

Plantae Coordinator

Part(s) of plant used Use(s) Reference

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