Plectocephalus

D. Don in R. Sweet

in R. Sweet, Brit. Fl. Gard., ser. 2, 1: plate 51. 1830.

Common names: Basketflower
Etymology: Greek plektos, woven, and kephale, head, alluding to interwoven fringes of phyllaries
Synonyms: Centaurea sect. Plectocephalus (D. Don) de Candolle
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 19. Treatment on page 175. Mentioned on page 57, 84, 176, 182.
 TaxonIllustrator 
FNA19 P10 Mantisalca salmantica.jpegMantisalca salmantica
Volutaria muricata
Plectocephalus rothrockii
John Myers
John Myers
John Myers

Annuals, 30–200 cm, not spiny. Stems erect, branched. Leaves basal and cauline; petiolate or sessile; blade margins entire or dentate, faces puberulent, minutely glandular-punctate. Heads radiant, borne singly or in open cymiform arrays. Peduncles fistulose. Involucres ovoid to hemispheric or campanulate, 30–60 mm diam. Phyllaries many in 8–10+ series, unequal, narrow, bodies linear, appressed, entire, apices expanded into erect to spreading, narrowly triangular, fringed appendages. Receptacles flat, epaleate, bristly. Florets many, peripheral neuter; corollas pink to purple, ± zygomorphic, elongate and expanded; inner fertile, corollas pink, purple, cream, or pale-yellow, zygomorphic or actinomorphic, ± bent at junction of tubes and throats, tubes elongate, very slender, throats cylindric, lobes linear; anther bases tailed, apical appendages oblong; style-branches: fused portions with minutely hairy nodes, distinct portions minute. Cypselae: basal attachment scars oblique (with small elaiosome on one side), obovoid or ± barrel-shaped, ± compressed, weakly ribbed, glabrous or puberulent with 2-celled hairs; pappi readily falling, of 1–3 series of stiff, minutely barbed bristles. x = 13.

Distribution

North America, Mexico, South America, Africa

Discussion

Species 4 (2 in the flora).

Molecular phylogenetic studies have been informative regarding the relationships of members of Cynareae, Centaureinae. Centaurea as traditionally recognized is polyphyletic. Plectocephalus is part of the basal grade in Centaureinae and is not closely related to Centaurea in a narrow sense (A. Susanna et al. 1995). Morphologically Plectocephalus is difficult to separate from the more derived and highly diverse Centaurea. Plectocephalus cypselae have obliquely basal attachment scars and the hilum of the seeds is basal. Centaurea cypselae have lateral attachment scars and hilum of the seed is lateral. The ovaries of Plectocephalus initially have 2-celled hairs; these may be absent from mature cypselae. Centaurea produces only 1-celled hairs on ovaries.

Key

1 Mid phyllaries with (4–)5–7(–8) pairs of lobes, distally light to dark stramineous. Plectocephalus americanus
1 Mid phyllaries with (9–)10–13(–15) pairs of lobes, distally medium brown to dark brown. Plectocephalus rothrockii

"fine" is not a number.

... more about "Plectocephalus"
rounded;acute +
expanded +
scarious +
erect;spreading +
fringed +  and triangular +
cymiform +  and open +
indeterminate +  and determinate +
puberulent +  and glabrous +
compressed +, barrel--shaped +, obovoid +  and oblique +
David J. Keil +
D. Don in R. Sweet +
decurrent +
Asteraceae tribe Cynareae +
compound +  and simple +
10-nerved or 20-nerved +  and rugose +
Basketflower +
actinomorphic +  and zygomorphic +
pale-yellow +, cream +, purple +  and pink +
bent +  and elongate +
expanded +
compressed +, 4-5-angled +, terete +, rounded-prismatic +, ovoid +, obovoid +  and ellipsoid +
fertile +  and bisexual +
North America +, Mexico +, South America +  and Africa +
Greek plektos, woven, and kephale, head, alluding to interwoven fringes of phyllaries +
glandular-punctate +
puberulent +
pistillate +, staminate +  and neuter +
winged +  and beaked +
dispersed +
in open cymiform arrays +, singly +  and radiant +
indeterminate +
each +  and sessile +
3 cm30 mm <br />0.03 m <br /> (6 cm60 mm <br />0.06 m <br />) +
ovoid;hemispheric or campanulate +
sessile +  and petiolate +
cauline +  and basal +
deltate +, usually narrowly triangular +  and more or less linear +
entire +  and dentate +
usually lobed +  and dissected +
2-carpellate +
persistent +
fistulose +
papillate +  and smooth +
distinct +  and fused +
in R. Sweet, Brit. Fl. Gard., ser. +
flat;convex +
roalson1998a +
exalbuminous +
appendaged +  and truncate +
dilated +  and swollen +
enlarged +
Centaurea sect. Plectocephalus +
Plectocephalus +
Asteraceae tribe Cardueae +
cylindric +
elongate +
slender +
30 cm300 mm <br />0.3 m <br /> (200 cm2,000 mm <br />2 m <br />) +
tree +, vine +, shrub +  and subshrub +