Elephantopus mollis

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Elephantopus mollis
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Asterales
Family: Asteraceae
Genus: Elephantopus
Species:
E. mollis
Binomial name
Elephantopus mollis
Synonyms[1]
  • Elephantopus cernuus Vell.
  • Elephantopus hypomalacus S.F.Blake
  • Elephantopus martii Graham
  • Elephantopus pilosus Philip.

Elephantopus mollis, common names tobacco weed,[2] and soft elephantsfoot,[3] is a tropical species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae.

Elephantopus mollis is native to South America as far south as Jujuy Province in Argentina, as well as the West Indies, Central America, and Mexico as far north as Tamaulipas and Nuevo León.[4][5][6][7][8][9] It is also naturalized in Australia, south-eastern Asia, some Pacific Islands, and tropical Africa.[10][11] The species is considered a noxious weed some places.[2][12]

Elephantopus mollis is a coarse perennial herb up to 20 cm (8 inches) tall. Leaves are dark green on the upper side, lighter green on the lower surface, oblanceolate to elliptical, up to 22 cm (9 inches) long. The plant produces arrays of small flower heads, each with only 4 white or pink florets.[13]

References[edit]

  1. ^ The Plant List, Elephantopus mollis Kunth
  2. ^ a b Queensland Government, Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, Tobacco weed (Elephantopus mollis)
  3. ^ USDA, NRCS (n.d.). "Elephantopus mollis". The PLANTS Database (plants.usda.gov). Greensboro, North Carolina: National Plant Data Team. Retrieved 21 June 2015.
  4. ^ Tropicos, Elephantopus mollis Kunth
  5. ^ Cabrera, A. L. 1978. Compositae. 10: 1–726. In A. L. Cabrera (ed.) Flora de la Provincia de Jujuy: Republica Argentina. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria, Buenos Aires
  6. ^ Jørgensen, P. M., M. H. Nee & S. G. Beck. (eds.) 2014. Catálogo de las plantas vasculares de Bolivia, Monographs in systematic botany from the Missouri Botanical Garden 127(1–2): i–viii, 1–1744.
  7. ^ Rzedowski, J. & G. Calderón de Rzedowski. 1995. Familia Compositae. Tribu Vernonieae. 38: 1–49. In J. Rzedowski & G. Calderón de Rzedowski (eds.) Flora del Bajío y Regiones Adyacentes. Instituto de Ecología A.C., Pátzcuaro
  8. ^ Idárraga-Piedrahita, A., R. D. C. Ortiz, R. Callejas Posada & M. Merello. (eds.) 2011. Flora de Antioquia: Catálogo de las Plantas Vasculares 2: 9–939. Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín
  9. ^ Cowan, C. P. 1983. Flora de Tabasco. Listados Florísticos de México1: 1–123
  10. ^ Atlas of Living Australia
  11. ^ Jeffrey, C. 1988. Notes on Compositae: V. The Vernonieae in East Tropical Africa. Kew Bulletin 43(2): 195–277.
  12. ^ Invasive Species Compendium, Elephantopus mollis includes distribution maps
  13. ^ Flora of the Marquesas, Elephantopus mollis Kunth