Acaena Mutis ex L.

Herbs, perennial, 1–15 dm diam.; from branched, woody caudex or stoloniferous. Stems 1–20, creeping and rooting or suberect, ?basally woody, clad in old leaf bases?, glabrous or sparsely pilose. Leaves persistent, basal and/or cauline; stipules absent or persistent, adnate to petiole, free portion ovate to obovate, deeply 2–5-fid, or linear, margins entire; petiole present; blade spatulate, [1–]2–15[–18] cm, herbaceous, leaflets 4–10 per side, ?opposite?, ovate, oblong, or elliptic, margins flat or revolute, incised or pinnatisect, dentate or entire, surfaces hairy or glabrous. Inflorescences terminal or axillary, [4–]15–100-flowered, spikes or globose heads; peduncles present or absent; bracts absent; bracteoles present. Pedicels present. Flowers 3.5–6 mm diam.; hypanthium obtriangular, ovoid, or obconic, 3.5–6 mm diam., ?spiny [or winged or neither]?, tomentose or glabrous; sepals 4–5[–6], spreading, elliptic or triangular; petals 0; stamens 2–4[–6], longer than sepals; carpels 1[or 2], ?styles white or red, fimbriate?. Fruits achenes, 1[–2], spindle-shaped; hypanthium persistent, enclosing achenes, ?gray-to red-brown, ovoid, oblong, globose, or obconic, 3–6 mm diam., hardened, sometimes winged, distinctly or obscurely angled with a single spine at apex of each of 4 angles, or covered with 10–20[–50] spines [or without spines], spines usually bearing retrorse hairs or barbs at apices, pubescent or glabrous, eglandular or glandular?; sepals persistent, spreading. x = 21.