Metalasia tristis Bengtson & P.O.Karis

Species

Angiosperms > Asterales > Asteraceae > Metalasia

Characteristics

Decumbent, sparingly to well-branched shrublet, up to 0.3 m high. Branches sprawling to erect, densely whitish tomentose when young, becoming less tomentose to glabrescent, axillary brachyblasts rarely present, less than half as long as subtending leaf, foliage dense to sparse. Leaves involute-ericoid, somewhat twisted, narrowly lanceolate 5-10 (14) x 0.8-1.2 mm, densely tomentose above, sparsely hairy below, apically acute with tips straight to declinate, spreading to declinate, straight to slightly curved. Synflorescences 5-12 mm wide, dense, broadly campanulate, with 6 to 15 capitula arranged in obscure, hardly distinguishable clusters fused by dense hairs, overshot by a few bract-like leaves. Capitula 5-flowered, fused by hairs within clusters and synflorescences. Involucral bracts ±13, of ± equal length, erect, densely tomentose for 3/4-4/5 of length, only uppermost parts visible through the dense tomentum, with broad hyaline margins; outermost bracts lanceolate, foliaceous with apical scarious lamina, narrow, acute, dark brown; outer bracts lanceolate, apical scarious lamina narrow, acute, dark brown; inner bracts narrowly oblong to lanceolate gradually becoming somewhat more petaloid, apical scarious lamina, acute, brown; innermost bracts narrowly oblong, apically rounded, almost petaloid with a light brown to whitish lamina. Corolla narrowly cylindrical, 2.8-3.1 mm long, dark purple distally. Cypselas 3-veined (immature). Pappus bristles slightly serrate, apically clavate with fused cells.
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Growth form shrub
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Sexuality hermaphrodite
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Mature height (meter) 0.3
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Environment

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Soil texture 5-8
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Usage

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Cultivation

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Distribution

Metalasia tristis world distribution map, present in South Africa

Identifiers

LSID urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:77124757-1
WFO ID wfo-0001334683
COL ID 73CYT
BDTFX ID -
INPN ID -
Wikipedia (EN)
Wikipedia (FR)

Synonyms

Metalasia tristis