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cotula, water-buttons

Habit Annuals or perennials, 2–25[–50+] cm (sometimes aromatic).
Stems

usually 1, erect or prostrate to decumbent or ascending (sometimes rooting at nodes), usually branched, glabrous or ± strigillose to villous (hairs mostly basifixed).

Leaves

usually mostly cauline [basal]; alternate [opposite];

petiolate or sessile;

blades obovate or spatulate to lanceolate or linear, sometimes 1–3-pinnately [palmati-pinnately] lobed, ultimate margins entire or irregularly toothed, faces glabrous or ± strigillose to villous [lanate] (hairs mostly basifixed).

Involucres

broadly hemispheric to saucer-shaped, 3–12+[–15+] mm diam.

Receptacles

flat to convex [conic], epaleate (sometimes ± covered with persistent stalks of florets).

Ray florets

0 [5–8+, pistillate, fertile;

corollas white] (peripheral pistillate florets 8–80+ in 1–3+ series; corollas usually none).

Disc florets

12–200+[–600+], bisexual, fertile [functionally staminate];

corollas ochroleucous or yellow, tubes ± cylindric (bases sometimes adaxially saccate), throats abruptly ampliate, lobes (3–)4, ± deltate (sometimes one larger than others, usually each with central resin canal).

Phyllaries

persistent, 13–30+ in 2–3+ series, margins and apices (colorless, light to dark brown, or purplish) scarious.

Heads

disciform [discoid or radiate], borne singly (peduncles sometimes dilated).

Cypselae

obovoid to oblong, ob-compressed or -flattened, ribs 2, lateral, sometimes becoming wings, faces ± papillate (pericarps relatively thin, sometimes with myxogenic cells and/or 2 lateral resin sacs);

pappi 0.

x

= 10.

Cotula

Distribution
from USDA
s Old World [Introduced in North America; introduced also (perhaps some native) in Mexico, South America, s Oceanic Islands]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Species 55 (2 in the flora).

Some species of Cotula are widely naturalized. F. Hrusa et al. (2002) reported Cotula mexicana (de Candolle) Cabrera as established on golf courses in California; it is similar to C. australis and differs in leaf blades mostly 1-pinnate, receptacles pilose, and disc florets functionally staminate.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Key
1. Annuals (± villous); leaf blades 2–3-pinnately lobed; involucres 3–4(–6) mm diam.; pistillate florets 8–40(–80+) in ± 1–3+ series
C. australis
1. Perennials (glabrous); leaf blades entire or irregularly toothed or lobed; involucres 6–9 (–12+) mm diam.; pistillate florets 12–40+ in 1 series
C. coronopifolia
Source FNA vol. 19, p. 543. Author: Linda E. Watson.
Parent taxa Asteraceae > tribe Anthemideae
Subordinate taxa
C. australis, C. coronopifolia
Name authority Linnaeus: Sp. Pl. 2: 891. (1753): Gen. Pl. ed. 5, 380. (1754)
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