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Helichrysum difficile [family ASTERACEAE]

Date Updated: 19 August 2007

Herbarium
South African National Biodiversity Institute, Compton Herbarium, Cape Town (SAM)
Collection
Flora of Southern Africa
Resource Type
Reference Sources
Entry From
Flora of South Africa, (2003) Author: Dr J.P. Roux
Names
Helichrysum difficile [family ASTERACEAE]
Information
Perennial herb, stock often with vege­tative buds, stems solitary or 2—6 from the base, usually simple below the inflorescence branches, mostly c. 750 — 1 500 mm high, precocious plants shorter, glandular setose, upper parts sometimes thinly cobwebby as well, leafy throughout. Leaves mostly 50-70 (-80) x 8-20 (-26) mm, smaller on the inflorescence branches, oblong or oblong-lanceolate, uppermost lanceolate, acute to acuminate, mucronate, base cordate-clasping, shortly decurrent, both surfaces glandular-setose, margins and mid-vein below often white-woolly as well. Heads heterogamous, depressed-globose, c. 10-15 mm long, c. (20-) 23-28 mm across the radiating bracts, few to many in a leafy spreading corymbose panicle. Involucral bracts in c. 9 series, graded, imbricate, much exceeding the flowers, glossy, bright yellow. Receptacle shortly honeycombed. Flowers c. 720-1130, 55-100 ("female"), 800-1025 ("bisexual"). Achenes 1 mm long, barrel-shaped, glab­rous. Pappus bristles many, equalling the corolla, tips barbellate, shaft scabrid, bases cohering by patent cilia.
Habitat
Much confused with H. cooperi (above), but distinguished by its perennial habit, generally shorter and narrower cauline leaves, and generally larger heads. See also H. molestum (below).
Use
241. Helichrysum difficile Hilliard in Notes R. bot. Gdn Edinb. 40: 253 (1982). Type: Transvaal, 2430 DD, Graskop, 2 km from town on road to Blyde River Canyon, marsh, 14 iii 1981, Hilliard & Burtt 14335 (NU, holo.!; E; K; M; MO; PRE; S, iso.!).
Range
Recorded from the Transvaal Highveld and E. Highlands, from Rustenburg in the W. to Graskop in the E., in the Lowveld around Plaston and Nelspruit, and W. Swaziland near Oshoek, Mbabane and Forbes Reef. Grows in marshes and along wet streambanks; flowering principally in March and April. Map 235.

Date Updated: 19 August 2007

Herbarium
South African National Biodiversity Institute, Compton Herbarium, Cape Town (SAM)
Collection
Flora of Southern Africa
Resource Type
Reference Sources
Entry From
Flora of South Africa, (2003) Author: Dr J.P. Roux
Names
Helichrysum difficile [family ASTERACEAE]
Information
Perennial herb, stock often with vege­tative buds, stems solitary or 2—6 from the base, usually simple below the inflorescence branches, mostly c. 750 — 1 500 mm high, precocious plants shorter, glandular setose, upper parts sometimes thinly cobwebby as well, leafy throughout. Leaves mostly 50-70 (-80) x 8-20 (-26) mm, smaller on the inflorescence branches, oblong or oblong-lanceolate, uppermost lanceolate, acute to acuminate, mucronate, base cordate-clasping, shortly decurrent, both surfaces glandular-setose, margins and mid-vein below often white-woolly as well. Heads heterogamous, depressed-globose, c. 10-15 mm long, c. (20-) 23-28 mm across the radiating bracts, few to many in a leafy spreading corymbose panicle. Involucral bracts in c. 9 series, graded, imbricate, much exceeding the flowers, glossy, bright yellow. Receptacle shortly honeycombed. Flowers c. 720-1130, 55-100 ("female"), 800-1025 ("bisexual"). Achenes 1 mm long, barrel-shaped, glab­rous. Pappus bristles many, equalling the corolla, tips barbellate, shaft scabrid, bases cohering by patent cilia.
Habitat
Much confused with H. cooperi (above), but distinguished by its perennial habit, generally shorter and narrower cauline leaves, and generally larger heads. See also H. molestum (below).
Use
241. Helichrysum difficile Hilliard in Notes R. bot. Gdn Edinb. 40: 253 (1982). Type: Transvaal, 2430 DD, Graskop, 2 km from town on road to Blyde River Canyon, marsh, 14 iii 1981, Hilliard & Burtt 14335 (NU, holo.!; E; K; M; MO; PRE; S, iso.!).
Range
Recorded from the Transvaal Highveld and E. Highlands, from Rustenburg in the W. to Graskop in the E., in the Lowveld around Plaston and Nelspruit, and W. Swaziland near Oshoek, Mbabane and Forbes Reef. Grows in marshes and along wet streambanks; flowering principally in March and April. Map 235.
Helichrysum difficile [family ASTERACEAE]
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