Lasianthaea zinnioides

Authority

Becker, Kenneth M. 1979. A monograph of the genus Lasianthaea (Asteraceae). Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 31 (2): 1-64.

Family

Asteraceae

Scientific Name

Lasianthaea zinnioides

Description

Species Description - Perennials from a woody caudex producing several fleshy-tuberous rootstocks underground, sometimes woody near base, to 1 m high; young branches strigose to hirsute. Leaves all opposite, about 5 pairs per stem; petiole 1-2(-5) mm long, hirsute; blade firm, lance-elliptic, lance-ovate to narrowly ovate, or occasionally lance-oblong, 3.0-7.5(-12.5) cm long, 1.2-3.0(-4.2) cm wide, acute, acuminate or occasionally obtuse, rounded to cuneate at base, hirsute and scabrous above, hirsutulous below, margin usually shallowly serrate, occasionally serrate or denticulate-mucronulate, triplinerved. Inflorescence 1-3(-9)-headed, terminal and from upper axils. Peduncles 0.2-3.5 cm long, stout, whitish-strigose or hirsute; heads to 4 cm wide across extended rays. Involucre broadly campanulate to usually hemispherical, 1.0-1.2 cm high, 1.0-2.0 cm wide, phyllaries in 3-4 series, not strongly graduated. Phyllaries often tinged red-violet; outer phyllaries indurated below, green and herbaceous above, narrowly ovate, ovate, or lance-deltoid, 7-8 mm long, 3-4 mm wide, to 6 mm wide at base, acute, puberulent and white-hirsute dorsally, inner phyllaries membranous-indurate below, membranous, slightly herbaceous, reticulate-veiny, and often dark-purple-tinged above, ovate-oblong to elliptic-oblong, 10-12 mm long, 5-7 mm wide, rounded to obtuse and mucronulate. Rays typically 8, dark-red or red-violet, lamina 16-18 mm long, 5-7 mm wide, tube 3-4.5 mm long. Disc florets to ca. 35, red-violet, 7.5-9 mm long, throat narrowly campanulate, 3.3-3.7 mm long, 1.0-1.6 mm wide, lobes 1.0-1.2 mm long. Anther thecae brown, 2.4-2.9 mm long, appendage 0.7-0.8 mm long. Style branches 2.5-3 mm long, appendage 0.7-1.0 mm long. Pales usually tinged red-violet, 7-10 mm long, 0.6-1.0 mm wide as folded. Achenial awns often tinged redviolet; disc achenes cuneate to broadly cuneate, body 3.0-4.1 mm long, 1.2-1.8 mm wide, hispidulous or glabrate, awns 1-4 mm long, not exserted from ripe heads, pappus squamellae 0.1-0.6 mm long, or sometimes reduced to a ciliate fringe, not strongly connate. Ray achenes 3-awned or -toothed, body 3-3.5 mm long, 1.8-2.1 mm wide, awn (adaxial) to 2.8 mm long, pappus squamellae connate. Receptacle convex or low-convex.

Discussion

Zexmenia zinnioides Hemsl., Biol. Cent.-Am. Bot. 2: 175, 1881. Type: MEXICO: Cerro Pinal, Dec 1848, Seemann 7464 (holotype: K(herb. Hook.); fragment: GH; photos: F, GH, MICH, US; isotype: K(herb. Benth.)).

Distribution

Shaded slopes, grazed areas, in oak or pine-oak forest or palm savannah. Southern Sierra Madre Occidental and western end of Transverse Volcanic Belt in western Mexico (Map 5), at altitudes from 50-1550 m. Blooming (March-) August to November.

Mexico North America|