Blepharispermum

Blepharispermum
Blepharispermum petiolare
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Asterales
Family: Asteraceae
Subfamily: Asteroideae
Tribe: Athroismeae
Genus: Blepharispermum
Wight ex DC.

Blepharispermum is a genus of flowering plants in the family Asteraceae.[1][2] They are distributed in Africa, Madagascar, the Arabian Peninsula, India, and Sri Lanka.[3]

These are shrubs and small trees. The leaf blades are sometimes borne on petioles, which may have spines. The flower head contains 2 female disc florets and 2 to 4 male disc florets. The latter are whitish, greenish, or yellowish. The fruit is a rough-edged cypsela with a pappus.[3]

Species

15 species are accepted.[4]

  • Blepharispermum arcuatum – Tanzania, Madagascar
  • Blepharispermum brachycarphum – Tanzania, Mozambique
  • Blepharispermum canescens – Tanzania
  • Blepharispermum ellenbeckii – Ethiopia, Somalia, Sudan, Kenya
  • Blepharispermum fruticosum – Ethiopia, Somalia
  • Blepharispermum hirtum – Yemen, Oman
  • Blepharispermum minus – Kenya
  • Blepharispermum obovatum – Ethiopia
  • Blepharispermum petiolare – Sri Lanka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu
  • Blepharispermum pubescens – Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Zaire
  • Blepharispermum spinulosum – Ivory Coast, Zaire
  • Blepharispermum villosum – Ethiopia, Somalia, Kenya
  • Blepharispermum xerothamnum – Tanzania
  • Blepharispermum yemense – Yemen
  • Blepharispermum zanguebaricum – Kenya

Formerly placed here

References

  1. ^ Wight, Robert. 1834. Contributions to the Botany of India 11
  2. ^ Tropicos, Blepharispermum Wight ex DC.
  3. ^ a b Anderberg, A. A.; et al. (2007). "Blepharispermum Wight ex DC.". In Kadereit, J. W. & C. Jeffrey (ed.). Flowering Plants: Eudicots; Asterales. The Families and Genera of Vascular Plants. Vol. 8. Springer. p. 398. ISBN 978-3-540-31050-1.
  4. ^ "Blepharispermum DC". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 20 August 2025.
  5. ^ "Leucoblepharis subsessilis (DC.) Arn". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 20 August 2025.