Many Stem Cudweed

Erect to decumbent annual herbs, 15-30 cm tall, branched from the base, usually coverd with white woolly tomentum. Leaves linear-obovate to oblanceolate-spathulate, obtuse to apiculate, sessile or base attenuating into a petiole, (0.5-) 0.75-3 (-3.5) x0.3-0.75 (-1) cm, white woolly on the lower surface, glabrescent on the upper surface. Capitula 2.5-3 mm across, campanulate in terminal or axillary dense leafy spikes; phyllaries 2-3-seriate, scarious, pale brownish, outer most woolly, 1-2 x c. 1 mm, ovate-lanceolate with scarious margins and green midrib; inner longer 2-2.5 x c. 0.5 mm, oblong. Outer marginal florets many, filiform, with c. 1 mm long corolla, disc florets 4-6, corolla ± tubular, 5-lobed. Cypselas c. 0.5 mm long, papillose, pappus c. 2 mm long, white, setae free, deciduous separately.

A pantropic weed.

Distribution: A widespread weed in tropical and subtropical Africa, Asia, Australia and tropical America.

200-1400 m

Fl.Per.: Almost throughout the year.