Ambrosia
-
Authority
Britton, Nathaniel L. & Millspaugh, Charles F. 1920. The Bahama Flora.
-
Family
Asteraceae
-
Scientific Name
-
Description
Description - Monoecious (rarely dioecious) branching herbs, with alternate or opposite, mostly lobed or divided leaves, and small heads of green flowers, the staminate spicate or racemose, the pistillate solitary or clustered in the upper axils. Involucre of the pistillate heads globose, ovoid or top-shaped, closed, 1-flowered, usually armed with 48 tubercles or spines; corolla none; stamens none; style-branches filiform; achenes ovoid or obovoid; pappus none. Involucre of the staminate heads mostly hemispheric or Baucer-shaped, 5 -12-lobed, open, many-flowered; receptacle nearly flat, naked, or with filiform chaff; corolla funnelform, 5-toothed; anthers scarcely coherent, mucronate-tipped; style undivided, penicillate at the summit. [The ancient classical name.] About 15 species, mostly natives of America. Type species: Ambrosia maritima L.