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Acmella decumbens (Sm.) R.K.Jansen

Creeping spotflower (en)

Species

Angiosperms > Asterales > Asteraceae > Acmella

Characteristics

Annual herb branching from the base, stems decumbent, rooting at the nodes, then erect, up to c. 0.5 m, leafy. Leaves opposite, nearly or quite glabrous, up to 5 x 0.8 cm, often much narrower, linear to lanceolate, tapering at the base into a petiole up to 1 cm long, margins entire or subserrate. Heads terminal, solitary, on peduncles up to 20 cm long. Involucral bracts in 2 series, ovate, c. 4 mm long, sub-equal. Receptacle conical, c. 0.8 cm across the base, 1 cm high in fruit. Rays c. 8, limb narrow, up to c. 1 cm long, yellow, disc yellow. Disc achenes 3 mm long, elliptic in outline, compressed, apex truncate with 2 minute raised shoulders each crowned with a short pappus bristle, margins silky-ciliate; ray achenes mostly trigonous with 3 pappus bristles, otherwise similar to the disc.
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Annual herb, up to 0.5 m high; stems decumbent, leafy. Leaves opposite, linear to lanceolate, margins entire or subserrate. Capitula terminal, solitary; involucral bracts in 2 series, ovate, subequal. Receptacle conical. Ray florets limb narrow; corolla yellow, strap-shaped. Disc florets bisexual, fertile; corolla yellow. Anthers with small, obtuse, apical appendage. Style branches of ray florets linear, of disc florets oblong, truncate, minutely penicillate. Pappus of 3 bristles. Cypselae elliptic, compressed, apex truncate.
A herb. The flowers are yellow.
Life form
Growth form herb
Growth support free-standing
Foliage retention -
Sexuality hermaphrodite
Pollination -
Spread -
Mature width (meter) -
Mature height (meter) 0.26
Root system -
Rooting depth (meter) -
Root diameter (meter) -
Flower color -
Blooming months -
Fruit color -
Fruiting months -
Nitrogen fixer -
Photosynthetic pathway -

Environment

It is a subtropical plant.
Light -
Soil humidity 1-3
Soil texture -
Soil acidity -
Soil nutriment -
Hardiness (USDA) 8-12

Usage

Uses medicinal
Edible -
Therapeutic use -
Human toxicity -
Animal toxicity -

Cultivation

Mode -
Germination duration (days) -
Germination temperacture (C°) -
Germination luminosity -
Germination treatment -
Minimum temperature (C°) -
Optimum temperature (C°) -
Size -
Vigor -
Productivity -

Images

Habit

Acmella decumbens habit picture by Trap Hers (cc-by-sa)

Leaf

Acmella decumbens leaf picture by Trap Hers (cc-by-sa)
Acmella decumbens leaf picture by Trap Hers (cc-by-sa)

Flower

Acmella decumbens flower picture by Trap Hers (cc-by-sa)
Acmella decumbens flower picture by Trap Hers (cc-by-sa)
Acmella decumbens flower picture by Trap Hers (cc-by-sa)

Distribution

Acmella decumbens world distribution map, present in Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, United States of America, and South Africa

Identifiers

LSID urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:914770-1
WFO ID wfo-0000022226
COL ID 64L7P
BDTFX ID -
INPN ID -
Wikipedia (EN)
Wikipedia (FR)

Synonyms

Spilanthes decumbens Spilanthes stenophylla Spilanthes helenioides Rudbeckia decumbens Verbesina buphthalmoides Spilanthes stolonifera Ceratocephalus decumbens Spilanthes decumbens var. decumbens Ceratocephalus decumbens var. decumbens Ceratocephalus decumbens var. macropodus Spilanthes americana var. stolonifera Spilanthes stolonifera var. stolonifera Spilanthes arnicoides var. macropoda Spilanthes decumbens var. macropoda Acmella decumbens var. decumbens Spilanthes macropoda Acmella decumbens

Lower taxons

Acmella decumbens var. affinis
WorldFloraDB 2024