Eclipta L.

Ghazanfar, S. A., Edmondson, J. R. & Hind, D. J. N. (Eds). (2019). Flora of Iraq, Volume 6: Compositae.Kew Publishing

Morphology General Habit

Annual or perennial herbs; rootstock short, creeping, rooting at nodes, strigose

Morphology Stem

Stems decumbent to erect, terete, pith narrowly fistulose or solid

Morphology Leaves

Leaves opposite scarcely connate or not at nodes, petiolate or pseudopetiolate, lamina elliptic or narrowly oblong to narrowly ovate, lanceolate or linear, base acute or acuminate, margins entire to serrate, apices narrowly rounded to narrowly acuminate, surfaces strigose, without glandular dots, weakly 3-veined to ±pinnate, secondary veins strongly ascending

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescences terminal or axillary, 1–5 capitula per node, pedicels thin

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Capitulum

Capitula broadly campanulate to hemispherical, heterogamous, radiate, corollas and achenes rapidly deciduous (mature capitula rarely intact in dry material); phyllaries 8–11, herbaceous, c. 2-seriate, subequal or inner phyllaries somewhat shorter, elliptical to obovate, acute, strigose; receptacle ± convex, paleaceous; paleae linear to filiform, apices slightly broadened

Ray

Ray florets 8–c. 50, 1–3-seriate, female and mostly fertile, corollas whitish to yellow, ray limb narrowly elliptical to linear, short-bilobed, smooth to mamillose on upper surface

Disc

Disc florets 8–c.  40, hermaphrodite, corollas greenish-white to yellowish, mostly glabrous outside, sometimes with few hairs on lobes, throat narrowly campanulate, usually 4-lobed, lobes broadly oblong-ovate, papillose; anther thecae usually slightly blackened, apical anther appendages broader than wide, with or without a single gland outside; style base not enlarged; style arm apices with tuft of hairs forming acute or truncate tip

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Achenes maturing and falling quickly, obpyramidal, tetragonal or outer ray achenes triangular with spiculiform setulae near top, surface usually becoming tuberculate with age, winged or wingless; pappus absent, scarcely coroniform or with 2 or 3 awns.

Distribution

A genus of about 5 species, one of which is very widespread throughout the tropics and present in Iraq.

George R. Proctor (2012). Flora of the Cayman Isands (Second Edition). Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

Morphology General Habit

Herbs; leaves opposite, simple, entire or toothed

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Heads radiate, mostly solitary on axillary peduncles; peduncles 1–several in an axil; involucre campanulate, of few herbaceous phyllaries in 2 series; receptacle flat or slightly raised, scaly

Ray

Ray-florets pistillate or sterile, the ligule small and inconspicuous

Disc

Disc-florets perfect and fertile, the corolla tubular and 4–5-toothed; anthers obtuse at the base; style-arms with a short, obtuse appendage

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Achenes cylindrical or slightly compressed, rugose; pappus absent or of 2 short awns.

Distribution

A small but widespread tropical genus of 3 or 4 species.