Ageratum maritimum

Kunth

in A. von Humboldt et al., Nov. Gen. Sp. 4(fol.): 117. 1818.

,

4(qto.) 150. 1820.

Common names: Cape Sable whiteweed
Synonyms: Ageratum littorale A. Gray Ageratum littorale var. hondurense B. L. Robinson
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 21. Treatment on page 482. Mentioned on page 481.

Annuals or perennials, 10–50 cm (semisucculent, rhizomatous, forming colonies). Stems decumbent to straggling or creeping (rooting at nodes), glabrous but for puberulous-pilose nodes. Leaf blades deltate-ovate to oblong, mostly 0.8–4 × 0.5–3 cm, (fleshy) margins toothed, faces glabrous or glabrate. Peduncles glabrous or glabrate. Involucres ca. 3 × 3–4 mm. Phyllaries elliptic-lanceolate, glabrous or glabrate, tips abruptly tapered to nearly obtuse. Corollas lavender or blue to white. Cypselae glabrous; pappi usually blunt coronas ca. 0.1 mm, rarely of separate scales.


Phenology: Flowering year round.
Habitat: Beach sand and nearby thickets, coral soils, salt marshes, hammocks, roadsides
Elevation: 0–10 m

Distribution

V21-1210-distribution-map.gif

Fla., Mexico (Quintana Roo), West Indies (Cuba, Hispaniola), Central America (Belize).

Discussion

Plants from Florida (Ageratum littorale, the type from Florida) are described here. Plants of the West Indies and Mexico (broadening the species concept to A. maritimum, the type from Cuba) have various elaborations of vestiture and a more conspicuous pappus–coronas with even to laciniate margins or rings of nearly separate scales mostly 0.2–1.5 mm. In addition to the distinctive relatively small, glabrous or glabrate leaves, plants of A. maritimum are characterized by heads in clusters, usually held well beyond the leaves.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.
... more about "Ageratum maritimum"
Guy L. Nesom +
Cape Sable whiteweed +
Fla. +, Mexico (Quintana Roo) +, West Indies (Cuba +, Hispaniola) +  and Central America (Belize). +
0–10 m +
Beach sand and nearby thickets, coral soils, salt marshes, hammocks, roadsides +
Flowering year round. +
in A. von Humboldt et al., Nov. Gen. Sp. +
1818 +  and 1820 +
Ageratum littorale +  and Ageratum littorale var. hondurense +
Ageratum maritimum +
Ageratum +
species +