Elephantopus mollis Kunth in Humb., Bonpl. & Kunth, Nov. Gen. Sp. 4: 26. 1820.

Bunwong, Sukhonthip, Chantaranothai, Pranom & Keeley, Sterling C., 2014, Revisions and key to the Vernonieae (Compositae) of Thailand, PhytoKeys 37, pp. 25-101 : 66-67

Elephantopus mollis Kunth in Humb., Bonpl. & Kunth, Nov. Gen. Sp. 4: 26. 1820.

Elephantopus tomentosus Koster, Blumea 1: 464. 1935, non L.

Type.

Venezuala, Caracas, Humboldt & Bonpland 627 (holotype: P!). Fig. 8A .

Description.

Perennial herbs, 0.5-2.0 m tall. Stems caulescent, erect or procumbent, terete, inconspicuously ribbed, pilose. Leaves alternate, 10-20 by 3-5 cm, elliptic or oblong, margin crenate, apex acute, base attenuate, subcoriaceous; both surfaces sparsely pilose with filiform hairs, cylindrical hairs and capitate glands; lateral veins 10-16-paired; petioles up to 10 mm long. Capitulescences terminal and axillary, paniculate. Foliose bracts 3, deltoid. Capitula tubular, 7-8 mm long. Receptacle flat, ca. 1 mm in diam., glabrous. Involucres tubular, 6.5-8 mm long, 3-4 mm in diam. Phyllaries 8, in 2 series, decussate, light green, margin entire, outer surface puberulous, without glands; the outer ovate, apex acute; the inner ones lanceolate, apex acuminate. Florets 4; corollas white, zygomorphic, glabrous; corolla tubes slender, 3-5 mm long; corolla lobes bilabiate, 1.5-2 mm long. Anthers ca. 1 mm long, apical appendage acute, base rounded. Styles white, 4-5 mm long, branches ca. 1 mm long. Achenes clavate, 2.5-3 mm long, pubescent, densely covered with twin hairs but lacking glands, inconspicuously ribbed. Pappus of 5 bristles in one series, dilated at base, 2.5-4.5 mm long.

Distribution.

Thailand: Nakhon Ratchasima; Ubon Ratchathani, Satun, Songkhla. Pantropics.

Specimens examined.

Thailand, Ubon Ratchathani, Chong Mek border crossing, 15°8.02'N, 105°28.01'E, 27 Oct 2007, S. Bunwong 340 (KKU, US); Nakhon Ratchasima, Hui Thaleng, 28 Dec 1928, Put 2205 (BM); Satun, 28 Jan 1961, T. Smitinand 7194 (BKF); SongKhla, Had Yai, 23 Jan 1986, J.F. Maxwell 86-47 (BK, CMU, L).

Diagnostic characters.

Elephantopus mollis is cleary recognized by its cauline leaves and completely white flowers.

Ecology.

Evergreen forest, alt. 0-100 m; flowering October to December.

Vernacular name.

Doo Mai Ru Lom (โด่ไม่รู้ล้ม), Hun Huay (หุนหวย).

Figures

Figure 8. Morphology of Vernonieae in Thailand 4. A Elephantopus mollis B-C Elephantopus scaber D Elephantopus scaber var. penicillatus E-F Pseudelephantopus spicatus.