Names and synonyms

Rhynchopsidium pumilum (L.f.) DC.
= Relhania pumila (L.f.) Thunberg
=Athanasia pumila Linne f.
=Eclopes pumila (L.f.) Lessing
=Nanophytum pumilum DC.
=Zoegea capensis Linne f.
=Relhania pedunculata L'Herit. (non (DC.) Harv.), nom. superfl.
=Relhania laxa L'Herit. var. humilis S. Moore
=Relhania laxa L'Heritier
=Rhynchopsidium pedunculatum =Relhania pedunculata (DC.) Harv. (non L'Herit.), nom. illeg.

Type

Thunberg, Herb. No. 20096, depressions near Brandvlei (UPS-THUNB, C, LD-RETZ, S).

Common names

Yellow snow; geelsneeu, teebossie

Derivation of names

Rhynchopsidium: rhunkhos = snout / beak; optos = seen / idion = diminutive
pumilum = dwarf, alluding to the small stature.
Genus name alludes to the fruit.

Diagnostic characters

Pappus with barbellate bristles

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Description

A small, spindly, spreading, annual herb, 0.07-0.2(-0.25) m tall. Stems and branches erect or ascending, leafy, glabrous or tomentose, with stalked glands. Leaves linnear, needle-like, 5-30 x 0.4-2 mm, with sticky, stalked glandular hairs. Capitula solitary, terminal, 15-20 mm in diameter, on short peduncles, florets yellow. Peduncles 2-20 mm long. Involucre urn-shaped and wider at the base, almost orbicular in outline, 2-10 mm wide. Involucral bracts in 5 rows, 10-35, outer ovate, inner ovate-oblong with a spreading, brown, scarious apical limb, up to 5.5 x 2.5 mm, acute-obtuse. Receptacle flat-convex, paleate. Paleae lanceolate, 3-5.5 x 0.6-1.3 mm, acute. Ray florets 4-15, tube 1.2-2 mm long, lamina elliptic, 2-15 x 1-6 mm, 4-10-veined. Disc florets 8-150, perfect. Pappus crownlike, of � connate scales, up to 0.6 mm long. Cypsela narrowly elliptic, 1.5-2.5 x 0.3-0.6 mm, densely villose with apically hooked hairs.

Flowering time

Mainly from August to October (to November)

Distribution

Occurs mainly in Namaqualand, but extends further south into the southwestern districts and occasionally further east to Oudtshoorn and the Klein Karoo.
Known from more than 90 specimens.

Habitat

Abundant in disturbed clayey or sandy soils especially on flat, open areas.

Notes

In good seasons this species is superficially similar to Leysera tenella , but can be distinguished by the broader involucre.

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References

ANDERBERG, A.A. & BREMER, K. 1991. Parsimony analysis and cladistic reclassification of the Relhania generic group (Asteraceae - Gnaphalieae). Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden 78: 1061-1072.
BREMER, K. 1976. The genus Relhania (Compositae). Opera Botanica 40.
GLEN, H.F. 2004. SAPPI, What's in a Name? The Meanings of the Botanical Names of Trees. Jacana.
KESTING, D. & CLARKE, H. 2008. Botanical names, what they mean. Wild Flowers of the Cape Peninsula, 3rd revised edition. Friends of Silvermine.
LE ROUX, A. 2005. Namaqualand, South African Wild Flower Guide 1. Botanical Society of South Africa.
MANNING,J. 2003. Photographic Guide to the Wildflowers of South Africa. Briza Publications.
MANNING, J. 2009. Field guide to Wild Flowers of South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland. Struik Nature.
VLOK, J. & SCHUTTE-VLOK, A L. 2010. Plants of the Klein Karoo. Umdaus Press