Classification
 Nomenclature
Scientific Name:
Gamochaeta purpurea (L.) Cabrera, Bol. Soc. Argent. Bot. 9: 377 (1961)
Synonymy:
  • Gnaphalium purpureum L., Sp. Pl. 854 (1753)
  • = Gnaphalium ustulatum Nutt., Trans. Amer. Philos. Soc., n.s. 7: 404 (1841)
  • Gnaphalium purpureum var. ustulatum (Nutt.) B.Boivin, Naturaliste Canad. 87: 34 (1960)
  • Gamochaeta ustulata (Nutt.) G.L.Nesom, Phytologia 68: 196 (1990)
 Description

Annual or biennial, 8–50 cm tall, branched only at base; stems 1-several, usually erect, sometimes ascending. Basal lvs dead but persisting at flowering or sometimes 0. Lower cauline lvs apetiolate but lowermost often long-cuneate, densely tomentose on lower surface, sparsely to moderately tomentose on upper, somewhat discolorous, plane, oblanceolate to spathulate or narrow-obovate, obtuse to acute, mucronate, undulate or flat, 20–60 × 3–10–(14) mm; uppermost lvs smaller, broader based, plane or folded and sometimes falcate, often ± narrow-oblong. Capitula in dense terminal and axillary clusters; clusters forming terminal spikes and sometimes scattered below. Involucral bracts elliptic-oblong, acute or apiculate, 4–4.5 mm long; stereome green; lamina pale brown, often darker at base, sometimes flushed reddish purple; gap and margins clear or marked reddish purple; outer bract usually hairy at base. Achenes minutely papillate, 0.6–0.8 mm long.

[From: Webb et al. (1985) Flora of New Zealand. Volume 4 as Gnaphalium purpureum L.]

 Biostatus
Exotic
 Bibliography
Anderberg, A. A. 1991: Taxonomy and phylogeny of the tribe Gnaphalieae (Asteraceae). Opera Botanica 104: 1–195.
Boivin, J. R. B. 1960: Centurie de plantes Canadiennes-lII. Naturaliste Canadien 87: 25–49.
Cabrera, A. L. 1961: Observaciones sobre las Inuleae-Gnaphalineae (Compositae) de America del Sur. Boletín de la Sociedad Argentina de Botánica 9: 359–386.
Drury, D. G. 1971: The American Spicate Cudweeds Adventive to New Zealand: (Gnaphalium Section Gamochaeta - Compositae). New Zealand Journal of Botany 9(1): 157–185. [as Gnaphalium purpureum L.; Gnaphalium ustulatum Nutt.]
Linnaeus, C. 1753: Species Plantarum. Impensis Laurentii Salvii, Stockholm.
Nesom, G. L. 1990: Taxonomic status of Gamochaeta (Asteraceae: Inuleae) and the species of the United States. Phytologia 68: 186–198.
Nuttall, T. 1841: Description of new species and genera of plants. Transactions of the American Philosophical Society, new series 7: 283–453.