Names and synonyms

Antithrixia flavicoma DC.

Type

Drege 2787, Keule, 1839-11-05 (P, holo; G, MO, iso)

Derivation of names

anti- = against; -thrix = hair
flavus = pale yellow; -coma = hair tuft - probably refering to the yellow florets

Diagnostic characters

Radiate, yellow flower heads
Leaves in fascicles

Description

Shrublet, 0.25-0.6 m tall and often almost as wide. Stems erect, rigid, densely leafy in lower parts. Leaves 8-12 x about 1 mm; opposite, linear; in the lower part most leaves have axillary brachyblasts longer than the subtending leaves, in the upper part leaves are smaller and widely spaced towards the capitulum; upper surface white-woolly hairy, lower surface of young leaves covered in long, soft white hairs, which wear off with age; midrib prominent, often with a few large glands, margins entire, often slightly inrolled; tips acute-obtuse. Capitula radiate, solitary, sessile, terminal. Involucre 7-11 mm wide, bell-shaped. Involucral bracts 11-14 x 1-4 mm; in several rows, straw-coloured, bracts with a tough central part and a delicate membranous outer margin, the upper limb is somewhat spathulate and rounded, margins entire. Receptacle without palea. Ray florets 7-18, yellow and often brownish-purple below, lamina 6-10 x 1-4 mm, tube glabrous. Disc florets 12-35, yellow, 5-lobed. Pappus of many barbellate bristles in one or two rows, occasionally connate. Cypselas 5-8 mm long, terete, with 10 vascular bundles, smooth, glabrous or with a few basal twin-hairs.

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Flowering time

Mostly in August and September.

Distribution

Confined to the Kamiesberg region in Namaqualand.
Known from less than 10 collections in the vicinity of the town Kamieskroon

Habitat

Mountain plateau, in well-drained stony and rocky, sandy-loam soil, in natural veld around cultivated land and in open places around granite outcrops.

Notes

Two Ethiopian species have been erroneously referred to Antithrixia, but have recently been transferred to Macowania.

References

BERGH, N. 2010. Antithrixia flavicoma DC. http://www.plantzafrica.com/plantab/antithrixflavi.htm.
BREMER, K. 1978. Oreoleysera and Antithrixia, new and old South African genera of the Compositae. Botaniska Notiser 131: 449-453.
BURTT, B.L. & GRAU, J. 1972. An extension of the genus Macowania (Compositae). Notes Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh 31: 373-376.
GLEN, H.F. 2004. SAPPI, What's in a Name? The Meanings of the Botanical Names of Trees. Jacana.

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