Pluchea tomentosa

Pluchea tomentosa DC. in Wight, Contrib. 16, 1834; Clarke, Comp. Ind. 94, 1876; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. Ind. 3: 272, 1881; Woodrow in JBNHS 11: 648, 1898; Cooke, Fl. Pres. Bombay 2: 25, 1904; Naik, Fl. Marathwada 491, 1998.

FAMILY: ASTERACEAE

Morphological characters :

Habit: A shrub, 1 – 3m high.

Stem: Stems and branches terete, not winged, striate, more or less pubescent in the upper parts.

Leaves: Leaves simple, alternate, sessile, exstipulate, sub amplexicaul, often auricled at the base, 2.5 – 9 x 1.5 – 4cm, broadly obovate, acute apex, serrate – dentate margin, slightly pubescent below; reticulate venation’ nerves prominent.

Inflorescence: Compound many-headed corymbs which are terminal or from the upper axils, heterogamous; disciform.

Flower: Flower bracteate, involucre campanulate, outer bracts short, ovate, acute, slightly pubescent, the innermost linear – oblong, acute, ciliate near the apex; all florets tubular, epigynous, bisexual; actinomorphic; receptacle glabrous.

Marginal Floret: ♀ flower, fertile, many-seriate; corolla filiform, shorter than the styles, minutely toothed at the apex. Stamens 5. Ovary oblong, style 2-fid.

Central Floret: Regular, tubular with a slightly enlarged limb, 5-fid at the apex, few, sterile. Pappus hairs slender, 1-serriate, free. Anther-bases sagittate, the cells tailed. Style-arms filiform, entire, bifid.

Fruit: Achenes obscurely angled.

Flowering period: December – February.