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Australian cotula, Australian water-buttons, brass buttons

cotula, water-buttons

Habit Annuals, 2–10(–25+) cm. Annuals or perennials, 2–25[–50+] cm (sometimes aromatic).
Stems

branched ± throughout, ± strigillose to villous, glabrescent.

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

Leaves

petiolate or sessile;

blades obovate to spatulate, 2–3-pinnately lobed (ultimate lobes narrowly spatulate to linear), (1–)2–3(–6) cm.

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

3–4(–6) mm diam.

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 (peripheral pistillate florets 8–80+ in 1–3+ series; corollas 0).

0 [5–8+, pistillate, fertile;

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

Disc florets/Disc corollas

ochroleucous to pale yellow, 0.5–0.8 mm.

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

13–22+ in 2–3 series, subequal (apices brown).

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

outer stalked, 1–1.2 mm, ± winged, faces ± papillate;

inner sessile, 0.8–1 mm, not winged, not papillate.

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.

2n

= 36, 40.

Cotula australis

Cotula

Phenology Flowering Jan–Sep.
Habitat Disturbed sites
Elevation 0–800 m (0–2600 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
AZ; CA; FL; ME; OR; TX; South America; Australia; Africa [Introduced in North America; also introduced in Northern Hemisphere: Mexico (Baja California)]
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
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. 544. FNA vol. 19, p. 543. Author: Linda E. Watson.
Parent taxa Asteraceae > tribe Anthemideae > Cotula Asteraceae > tribe Anthemideae
Sibling taxa
C. coronopifolia
Subordinate taxa
C. australis, C. coronopifolia
Synonyms Anacyclus australis
Name authority (Sieber ex Sprengel) Hooker f.: Fl. Nov.-Zel. 1: 128. (1852) Linnaeus: Sp. Pl. 2: 891. (1753): Gen. Pl. ed. 5, 380. (1754)
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