Helichrysum Mill.

M. Thulin et al. Flora of Somalia, Vol. 1-4 [updated 2008] https://plants.jstor.org/collection/FLOS

Morphology General Habit

Perennial or annual herbs, sometimes shrublets

Morphology Leaves

Leaves alternate, often hairy

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Capitula disciform, in terminal corymbs or solitary; receptacle flat, usually epaleate; phyllaries in several to many series, papery, brown, yellow, pink or white

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets

Outer florets female, yellow, filiform, in 1–several rows, with 3–4 lobes; inner florets usually more numerous than the outer ones, bisexual, yellow, lobes 5, erect, anthers tailed and with a flat apical appendage, style with truncate branches

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Achenes small, oblong; pappus of barbellate to subplumose bristles, 1-seriate, free or basally slightly connate with cilia, caducous in groups or individually.

Distribution

About 600 species, mainly in Africa (especially South Africa) and Madagascar, but several in Asia and Europe.

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/44838/10952472

Conservation

VU - vulnerable VU - vulnerable DD - data deficient EN - endangered EN - endangered

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

Morphology General Habit

Suffruticose herbs and subshrubs with many ± densely leafy stems, tomentose or glandular-tomentose

Morphology General Buds

Resting buds often present at base of stem, stalked or sessile; basal leaves long-petiolate, ± cuneate; cauline leaves alternate, entire

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescence a rather dense terminal corymb with usually many capitula; involucre scarious, yellowish or whitish, rarely reddish; phyllaries multiseriate, imbricate; receptacle flat, foveolate or areolate, with or without teeth or bristles

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets

Florets all tubular, usually hermaphrodite, corollas 5-lobed, yellow, glandular above, or rarely outer female and corolla 3-lobed; anthers caudate; style arms truncate

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Achenes smooth, cylindrical, glandular-papillose; pappus setae uniseriate, scabrid or barbellate, apices acute or claviculate.

Etymology

Helichrysum (from Gr. ήλιος, helios, sun, and χρησός, khrysos, gold, in reference to its shiny yellow bracts).