Compilation
Spilanthes abyssinica

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Name

Identification
Spilanthes abyssinica Sch.Bip. ex A.Rich. [family ASTERACEAE ] Acmella caulirhiza Delile [family ASTERACEAE ] (stored under name);
Related name
  • Spilanthes abyssinica
  • Acmella caulorrhiza
  • Spilanthes acmella
  • Spilanthes caulirhiza
  • Acmella caulirhiza

Flora

Entry for Acmella caulirhiza Del. [family COMPOSITAE]
Herbarium
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (K)
Collection
Flora of Tropical East Africa
Resource Type
Reference Sources
Entry From
Flora of Tropical East Africa, Part Part 3, page 547, (2005) Author: H. Beentje, C. Jeffrey & D.J.N. Hind
Names
Acmella caulirhiza Del. [family COMPOSITAE], Voy. Meroe 4: 335, t. 64, fig. 7 (1827); R.K.Jansen in Syst. Bot. Monogr. 8: 37, map (1985); Lisowski, Asterac. Fl. Afr. Centr. 1: 228, t. 50 (1991); D.J.N. Hind in Fl. Masc. 109: 207, t. 71 (1993); U.K.W.F. ed. 2: 216, t. 88 (1994), as calirhiza. Type: Sudan, Sennar, Caillaud s.n. (MPU, holo., not found)
Spilanthes africana DC. [family COMPOSITAE], Prodr. 5: 623 (1836). Type: South Africa, between Omtata & Omsamwubo, Drège 5086 (G-DC, holo., K!, iso.)
Spilanthes caulirhiza (Del.) DC. [family COMPOSITAE], Prodr. 5: 623 (1836); F.P.S. 3: 54 (1956)
Spilanthes abyssinica A.Rich. [family COMPOSITAE], Tent. Fl. Abyss. 1: 415 (1848). Type: Ethiopia, near Adoa, Schimper (no number given; Jansen says 145 and P, lecto., BR, G, GOET, HBG, K, M, MPU, NY, OXF, P, S, W, iso.; this number not found at BM, BR, K or P, though in all these herbaria there is a Schimper 245 with this locality)
Spilanthes acmella [family COMPOSITAE], auct. mult., non L.
Acmella mauritiana [family COMPOSITAE], auct. mult., non Rich.
Spilanthes mauritiana [family COMPOSITAE], auct. mult., non (Rich.) DC. e.g. F.P.U.: 172 (1962); Blundell, Wild Fl. E. Afr.: pl. 385 (1987)
Information
Perennial or annual herb, decumbent or scrambling, often rooting at the nodes, up to 15 cm high or 60 cm long; stems sappy, often reddish or purplish, glabrous or pilose. Leaves ovate, 1–7 cm long, 0.8–5 cm wide, base attenuate, margins dentate, apex acute or obtuse, glabrous or pilose; 3-veined from base; petiole 1–15 mm long, narrowly winged. Capitula solitary and hemispherical, becoming conical, radiate, 4–14 mm long, 4–10 mm in diameter, on stalks 2–7 cm long; involucre 3.5–6 mm long, of 2 series of phyllaries. Ray florets 10–15, yellow, 2.2–3.3 mm long, the ray 1.4–2.3 mm long. Disc florets many, yellow or slightly orange, 1.1–1.9 mm long. Achenes 1.3–2.4 mm long, glabrous; pappus usually absent but sometimes some setae present on achenes of outer florets. Fig. 152 (page 731).
Range
DISTR. U 1–4; K 1–7; T 1–8 widespread in tropical and subtropical Africa and Madagascar
Altitude range
750–3100 m
Distribution
KENYA Northern Frontier District Isiolo, July 1951, Kirrika 9!KENYA Trans Nzoia District Mt Elgon 0.5 km W of Suam Saw Mills, Dec. 1967, Mwangangi 475!KENYA Machakos District 1 km E of Ithemboni, Aug. 1971, Mwangangi 1714!TANZANIA Arusha District Ngurdoto Crater, Oct. 1965, Greenway & Kanuri 11953!TANZANIA Ufipa District 4 km on Safu road from Sumbawanga–Mbala road, Nov. 1992, Gereau et al. 5009!TANZANIA Njombe District Livingstone Mts, near source of Ngolo R., Feb. 1991, Gereau & Kayombo 3917!UGANDA West Nile District Chobi, Oct. 1967, Buzigye 10!UGANDA Ankole District Bunyaruguru, Feb. 1939, Purseglove 565!UGANDA Mengo District Kituza, June 1957, Griffiths 45!
Notes
USES. Used widely for fever, mouth and throat infections, chewed for toothache.  CONSERVATION Least concern (LC).  A pioneer that may colonize bare ground, and a very common plant in moist ruderal locations. “Creeping but rising if the grass is long” (Tweedie in litt.).

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