Malachra radiata (L.) L.
Description
Coarse herbs or subshrubs 1-2.5 m tall, branching above, densely hispid with persistent stiff hairs 2-3 mm long. Leaf blades (Fig. 66) mostly 5-15 cm long, truncate or cordate, the lower leaves deeply 3-7-lobed, the lobes occasionally secondarily lobed, the central lobe basally constricted and lanceolate, the uppermost leaves simple and triangular to ovate, forming a transition to the specialized floral bracts, serrate, acute or acuminate, hispid, the hairs mostly simple above, stellate beneath; petioles equaling the blades on lower leaves, reduced upwards, the most distal leaves reduced to sessile bracts; stipules 4-9 mm long. Inflorescence a crowded terminal head, the subtending floral bracts sessile, ovate, serrate, acute, basally pallid, otherwise foliaceous; involucel subequal to calyx, of ca. 10 linear bractlets, hispid; calyx 8—10 mm long, hispid; corolla 2-2.5 cm long, lavender with a purple throat. Mericarps ca. 4.5 mm long, obovoid, reticulately costate, brownish, glabrous. Chromosome number: 2n = 56. A
Distribution
México (país) Nativo y no endémicoA
Habitat & Ecology
It occurs in lowland swampy habitats. It flowers in October and perhaps also at other seasons.A
Tipo de vegetación
No especificadoA
Categoría IUCN
No incluidaB
Categoría NOM-059-SEMARNAT-2010
No incluidaC