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rosy camphorweed

stinking camphorweed

Habit Perennials, 40–60 cm; fibrous-rooted, sometimes rhizomatous. Annuals or perennials, 40–100 cm; fibrous-rooted, sometimes rhizomatous.
Stems

puberulent to sparsely villous and stipitate- to sessile-glandular (sometimes viscid).

(often dark purplish) arachnose, glandular.

Leaves

sessile;

blades ovate to ovate-oblong or elliptic-oblong, 2–7 × 0.5–3 cm (bases cuneate to truncate or subcordate, clasping to subclasping), margins shallowly apiculate-toothed, faces puberulent to sparsely villous and stipitate- to sessile-glandular (sometimes viscid).

sessile;

blades (thick, reticulate-veined) oblong to elliptic, lance-ovate, or ovate, mostly 3–10(–13) × 1–4 cm (bases clasping), margins denticulate (apices rounded to acute), faces minutely sessile-glandular.

Involucres

campanulate to turbinate-campanulate or turbinate, 4–6 × 5–9 mm (bases obtuse to barely acute).

usually cupulate to campanulate, sometimes turbinate-campanulate, 5–10 × 6–9(–12) mm (bases mostly rounded to impressed, sometimes obtuse).

Corollas

rose-pink to purplish.

creamy white to yellowish or pale pink.

Phyllaries

rose-pink to purplish, moderately appressed-villous to puberulous or arachnose, usually viscid-hairy as well (outer phyllaries ovate-acuminate to ovate-lanceolate, lengths 0.5–1 times inner).

usually creamy white, sometimes cream, greenish, pinkish, rose-purplish, purplish, yellowish, or pale pink, thinly arachnoid-pubescent and sessile-glandular (the outer ovate to ovate-lanceolate, lengths mostly 0.2–0.6 times inner).

Heads

in corymbiform arrays.

in loose to dense, corymbiform arrays.

Pappi

persistent, bristles distinct.

persistent, bristles distinct.

2n

= 20.

Pluchea baccharis

Pluchea foetida

Phenology Flowering Jun–Jul. Late Jul–Oct (year-round in south).
Habitat Wet savannas, flatwoods, pond edges, borrow pits, ditches Seasonally wet soil, pond and lake edges, ditches, borrow pits, swampy woods, bogs, other freshwater wetlands
Elevation 0–20 m (0–100 ft) 0–20 m (0–100 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
AL; FL; GA; LA; MS; NC; SC; TX; Mexico; West Indies (Bahamas); Central America (Belize, Honduras, Nicaragua)
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AL; AR; DE; FL; GA; LA; MD; MO; MS; NC; NJ; OK; SC; TX; VA; Mexico; West Indies (Hispaniola)
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Pluchea baccharis has been reported from Arkansas; I have not seen a specimen.

Pluchea rosea var. mexicana R. K. Godfrey, endemic to inland gypseous-saline habitats in east-central Mexico, has been treated at specific rank (G. L. Nesom 1989).

The geographic ranges of Pluchea baccharis and P. foetida are nearly congruent and the taxa intergrade in morphology. The distinction between them is based primarily on corolla and phyllary color. Features of involucral vestiture also appear to be relatively constant. Head size and shape are not reliable diagnostic features.

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

Pluchea foetida var. imbricata has not been treated as distinct from typical P. foetida by recent authors (e.g., A. Cronquist 1980; R. K. Godfrey and J. W. Wooten 1981; R. P. Wunderlin et al. 1996). Although plants similar to the type can be found scattered in Florida and Georgia, a populational integrity does not appear to occur, and intermediate forms exist. Nevertheless, field biologists should be aware of the putative distinctions of var. imbricata to make more critical observations regarding its status.

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

Key
1. Distalmost leaves triangular-ovate; heads in tight, rounded clusters at ends of branches; involucres turbinate-campanulate, 9–10 mm; phyllaries pink- ish to rose-purplish
var. imbricata
1. Distalmost leaves mostly oblong-elliptic; heads in paniculiform arrays of usually flat-topped cymiform clusters; involucres broadly campanulate, 5–8 mm; phyllaries cream to greenish
var. foetida
Source FNA vol. 19, p. 483. FNA vol. 19, p. 482.
Parent taxa Asteraceae > tribe Plucheeae > Pluchea Asteraceae > tribe Plucheeae > Pluchea
Sibling taxa
P. camphorata, P. carolinensis, P. foetida, P. longifolia, P. odorata, P. sagittalis, P. sericea, P. yucatanensis
P. baccharis, P. camphorata, P. carolinensis, P. longifolia, P. odorata, P. sagittalis, P. sericea, P. yucatanensis
Subordinate taxa
P. foetida var. foetida, P. foetida var. imbricata
Synonyms Conyza baccharis, P. rosea Baccharis foetida, P. eggersii, P. foetida var. imbricata, P. imbricata, P. tenuifolia
Name authority (Miller) Pruski: Sida 21: 2035. (2005) (Linnaeus) de Candolle: in A. P. de Candolle and A. L. P. P. de Candolle, Prodr. 5: 452. (1836)
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