The green links below add additional plants to the comparison table. Blue links lead to other Web sites.
enable glossary links

coastal plain yellowtops

cluster yellow tops

Habit Annuals, to 100 cm (delicate or robust, sparsely villous). Annuals, to 200+ cm (delicate or robust, glabrate or glabrous).
Stems

erect.

erect.

Leaves

petiolate (proximal, petioles 3–15 mm) or sessile (distal);

blades lanceolate-elliptic, 50–120(–180) × 10–25(–70) mm, bases (distal) connate, margins serrate or spinulose serrate.

petiolate (proximal, petioles 10–20 mm) or sessile (distal);

blades lanceolate or oblanceolate to elliptic or subovate, 30–150 × (7–)10–40 mm, bases (distal) connate, margins serrate, serrate-dentate, or spinulose-serrate.

Involucres

oblong-angular, 5 mm.

oblong and cylindric or angular, 3.8–4.5 mm.

Ray florets

0 or 1;

laminae pale yellow, ovate-oblique, to 1 mm (not or barely surpassing phyllaries).

0–1;

laminae pale yellow or whitish, oblique or suborbiculate, 0.5–1 mm.

Disc florets

(2–)3–8;

corolla tubes ca. 0.8 mm, throats funnelform, 0.8 mm.

0–1(–2);

corolla tubes 0.5–1.4 mm, throats campanulate, 0.5–0.8 mm.

Phyllaries

3(–4), oblong.

usually 2, oblong (closely investing and falling with mature cypselae).

Calyculi

of 1–2 linear bractlets 1–2 mm.

0.

Heads

20–100+ in tight subglomerules in scorpioid, cymiform arrays.

30–300+, in tight, axillary, sessile glomerules (receptacles of glomerules setose).

Cypselae

oblanceolate or subclavate, 2–2.5 mm (those of ray florets longer);

pappi 0.

oblanceoloid to subclavate, 2–2.6 mm (rays longer);

pappi 0.

2n

= 36.

= 36.

Flaveria bidentis

Flaveria trinervia

Phenology Flowering year round. Flowering Mar–Dec.
Habitat Moist places, waste or disturbed ground, clay, gravel, or sand Near water, saline and gypseous areas
Elevation 0–10 m (0–0 ft) 0–1900 m (0–6200 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
AL; FL; GA; MA; Central America; South America; West Indies [Introduced in North America; also introduced in Europe (Great Britain) and Africa (Egypt and south)]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AZ; CA; FL; MA; MO; NM; TX; VA; HI; West Indies; Central America (British Honduras); South America (Brazil, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela); Africa [Probably introduced in Asia (India, Middle East)]
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

In the United States, Flaveria bidentis often occurs on ballast and waste ground near wharfs and the shore, locations that suggest its introduction from sailing vessels. The species is widespread and well established in South America, where it is thought to be native. Its floral structure appears to be the least advanced among the annual species of Flaveria, the heads being in somewhat scorpioid arrays. Distinguishing characteristics are 3(–4) phyllaries, 2–8 florets per head, reduced ray corollas, pubescent stems, and lanceolate-elliptic, bluish green, sometimes pubescent leaves. Flaveria bidentis is probably most closely related to F. campestris and F. trinervia.

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

Flaveria trinervia is widespread and weedy; it often occurs in saline, gypseous, disturbed areas near permanent or ephemeral water sources in southern Florida and from Texas to southern California. It occurs also in scattered locations in some eastern states and has been reported from Alabama.

The heads of Flaveria trinervia, which usually contain just one floret, are either radiate or discoid; radiate heads tend to occur on the periphery of setose glomerules. Reduction of some of the floral features, including number of florets [0–1(–2)], phyllaries per head (2), and size of ray laminae, suggest that F. trinervia may be the most derived species in the genus.

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

Source FNA vol. 21, p. 249. FNA vol. 21, p. 250.
Parent taxa Asteraceae > tribe Heliantheae > subtribe Flaveriinae > Flaveria Asteraceae > tribe Heliantheae > subtribe Flaveriinae > Flaveria
Sibling taxa
F. brownii, F. campestris, F. chlorifolia, F. floridana, F. linearis, F. mcdougallii, F. trinervia
F. bidentis, F. brownii, F. campestris, F. chlorifolia, F. floridana, F. linearis, F. mcdougallii
Synonyms Ethulia bidentis Odera trinervia
Name authority (Linnaeus) Kuntze: Revis. Gen. Pl. 3([3]): 148. (1898) (Sprengel) C. Mohr: Contr. U.S. Natl. Herb. 6: 810. (1901)
Web links