Vernonia cinerea (L.) Less.

Common Name : Little ironweed
Family : Asteraceae

HABIT

AN ERECT OR RARELY DECUMBENT ANNUAL HERB .

STEMS

15 – 75 CM TALL, SLENDER, GROOVED AND RIBBED.

LEAVES

2.5 – 5 CM LONG AND 2 – 3.8 CM WIDE, VARIABLE IN SHAPE, BROADLY ELLIPTIC OR LANCEOLATE, APEX OBTUSE OR ACUTE, BASE CUNEATE, MARGINS IRREGULARLY TOOTHED OR SHALLOWLY CRENATESERRATE, MEMBRANOUS TO CORIACEOUS, SPARSELY HAIRY ON BOTH SURFACES.

FLOWERS

FLORETS PINKISH-PURPLE, HEADS ABOUT 20- FLOWERED, 6 MM IN DIAMETER, FORMING ROUNDED OR FLAT-TOPPED, PANICULATE, TERMINAL OR AXILLARY, CORYMBS.

FRUITS

ACHENES 1.3 MM LONG, 3-4 ANGLED, DENSELY SILKY PUBESCENT, SLIGHTLY NARROWED AT BASE.