Synedrella nodiFlora

Synedrella nodiFlora (Linn.) Gaertn., Fruct. 2: 456, t., 171, 1789; Clarke, Comp. Ind. 139, 1876; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. Ind. 3: 308, 1881; Santapau in JBNHS 46: 377-8, 1946 & 58: 75, 1961; almeida, Fl. Savantwadi Jbnhs 79: 603, 1983; ugemuge, Fl. Sindhudurg Dist. 229, 1988; Bole & almeida, JBNHS 79: 603, 1983; Ugemuge, Fl. Nagpur Dist. 215, 1986.

FAMILY: ASTERACEAE

Morphological characters :

Habit: An erect herb.

Stem: Dichotomously branched, stems and branches terete, glabrous; pubescent.

Leaves: Leaves simple, opposite, exstipulate, petiolate, ovate – lanceolate, serrate margin, 3-nerved, acute apex, base rounded – acute, scabrous.

Inflorescence: Capitulum solitary, axillary or at the forks of dichotomy; heads small, sessile, heterogamous, radiate.

Flower: Flower bracteate, inner involucre bracts linear – lanceolate, 1 – 2 shining, epigynous, pentamerous. Receptacle small, flat.

Ray Floret: Zygomorphic, unisexual, ligulate, female, fertyile, ligule short, yellow; 2-toothed above; ovary oblong – obovoid, winged, ending in 2 scaly awns above, style filiform, stigma linear.

Disc Floret: Complete, actinomorphic, bisexual, tubular, gamopetalous, geminate, limb 4-toothed, acute, valvate aestivation. Pappus of 2 awns, 2.5mm; stamens 4, included, epipetalous, syngenesious, dithecous, basifixed; anthers appendaged at the apex; anther base sub-entire. Bicarpelly, syncarpous, inferior ovary, unilocular with one ovule on basal placentation. Style bifid.

Fruit: Achenes dimorphic.
Achenes dorsally compressed, 2-winged, wings lacerate of ray floret.
Achenes slender, compresses or triquetrous, spines 2 – 3 times longer than achenes, erect, stout of disc floret.

Flowering period: August – January.

Origin: Native of tropical America.