Piptocarpha axillaris (Less.) Baker
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Authority
Smith, Gerald L. & Coile, Nancy C. 2007.
(Compositae: Vernonieae). Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 99: 1--94. (Published by NYBG Press) -
Family
Asteraceae
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Scientific Name
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Description
Species Description - Trees 5-20(-25) m tall; branches brittle, branchlets terete, cinereous to rusty brown tomentose. Leaves somewhat crowded along the branchlets; petioles long, furrowed, yellowish brown tomentose, 15-30 mm long; blades 4-15 x 1-4(-6) cm, coriaceous, elliptic to slightly ovate, subapiculate at apex, cuneate or oblique at base, margin coarsely toothed above middle, glabrous and subrugose above, rusty brown to cinereous-stellate-tomentose below, 5-8 pairs of lateral veins. Inflorescences axillary, dense clusters of 5-15 heads, often forming a dense continuous mass on branchlets. Heads usually with 8-9 florets, sessile to subsessile; involucres turbinate 7-8 x 4-5 mm; phyllaries loosely imbricate in 4-5 series, rusty brown, slightly darkened toward acute to subacute tomentulose tips, outer ones triangular-ovate, inner ones narrowly ovate to oblong. Corollas off-white, glabrate, tube 4-5 mm long, the lobes 1.5-2.5 mm long; anthers deep purple, 3-3.5 mm long, the basal auricles elongated, papillate at tip, 0.50.9 mm long. Pappus white to light straw-colored, biseriate, inner bristles filiform (5.5-)6-7 mm long, outer ones filiform to linear, unequal, 0.5-2 mm long. Achenes (3-)3.5-4(-5) mm long, 3-4-angled, costate, gland-dotted. Chromosome number: 2n = 34, G. Lomax Smith 1105 (GA, GUA, MBM, RB).