Launaea angolensis
Launaea angolensis N.Kilian
Launaea angolensis is a perennial herb in the Asteraceae family, native to Angola and described in 1997 by N.Kilian. It has a single or few leafless flowering stems, up to 60 cm tall, with inconspicuous bracts. The plant produces many capitula arranged on a synflorescence with monopodially and monochasially branched secondary axes. The involucre is slender and elongates after anthesis, with distinct bract arrangements. Flowers have a yellow ligule and a tube, with specific measurements for reproductive structures.
Description
Launaea angolensis is a perennial herb in the Asteraceae family, native to Angola. It features a single, mostly erect flowering stem or a few, all leafless except for small, ovate-acute bracts. The synflorescence is many-capitulate, with a main axis producing several secondary branches that terminate in capitula. Peduncles are short, 0.3–2.0 mm long, and bear 0–2 bracts. The involucre is narrowly cylindrical before anthesis, elongating to 10–14 mm after flowering, with outer bracts 1.0–1.5 mm long and inner bracts linear-lanceolate, 10–14 mm long. Capitula contain 6–11 flowers, each with a yellow ligule (8–9 mm long) and a 4.5–5.5 mm long tube. Anthertubes measure 2.7–2.9 mm, with basal appendages 0.5–0.6 mm long.
Distribution
Angola
