Senecio keniophytum

Taxobox

---

image_width = 200px
regnum = Plantae
divisio = Magnoliophyta
classis = Magnoliopsida
ordo = Asterales
familia = Asteraceae
tribus = Senecioneae
genus = "Senecio"
species = "S. keniophytum"
binomial = "Senecio keniophytum"
binomial_authority = (R.E.Fr.) [ [http://www.ipni.org/ipni/idPlantNameSearch.do?id=245804-1&back_page=%2Fipni%2FeditSimplePlantNameSearch.do%3Ffind_wholeName%3DSenecio%2Bkeniophytum%26output_format%3Dnormal International Plant Names Index] ]

Atop of Mount Kenya "Senecio keniophytum" is one of the endemic groundsel (Senecio) found at high altitudes in Kenya, such as the Afro-alpine zone of Mount Kenya, but not one of the giant "Dendrosenecio" that also live there.

Description

A creeping perennial whose flowering branches stand "tall" at convert|4|cm|in|lk=on to convert|13|cm|in in a land where its relatives can be convert|1.5|m|ft|sigfig=1|lk=on tall, tough "Senecio keniophytum" manages to live in the same locales without dominating the landscape.cite web
url = http://www.aluka.org/action/showMetadata?doi=10.5555/AL.AP.FLORA.FTEA006444
title = Entry for "Senecio keniophytum" R.E.Fr. [family COMPOSITAE]
accessdate = 2008-04-29
author = Aluka
authorlink = Aluka
format = HTML
work = African Plants
doi = 10.5555/AL.AP.FLORA.FTEA006444
publisher = Ithaka Harbors, Inc]

;Leaves and stems: A branching plant with tough densely white stems with leaves attached directly to them. Long and oblong leaves are a little less than convert|2|cm|in long and convert|0.5|cm|in wide with purplish bases. Leave edges have teeth and leaf surfaces have green and white hairs on the upper side and a dense matting of white hair and bald midrib on the lower side.;Flowers: The radiate flower heads are solitary sometimes two or three together and stand up and flower stalks cottony with hairs. Bracts about convert|9|mm|in|lk=on to convert|12|mm|in long and about convert|5|mm|in diameter. A whorl of another set of eight to twelve bracts dark tipped and convert|5|mm|in to convert|9|mm|in long also with hairs. Twelve to twenty phyllaries also black tipped, convert|7|mm|in to convert|11|mm|in from densely hairy to no hair at all. Twelve to twenty bright yellow ray florets, tubes convert|3|mm|in long, rays convert|6|mm|in x convert|3|mm|in with four veins. A dull-yellow to brown disc floret, corolla convert|6|mm|in long, all hairless and expanding from the middle.;Fruits and reproduction: Achenes convert|3|mm|in long, ribbed with no hairs. Pappus convert|5.5|mm|in long.;Roots: A horizontal plant with stems that send shoots above and roots below.

Distribution

Endemic to Mount Kenya, at altitudes of convert|3700|m|ft|lk=on to convert|4500|m|ft.

References

External links

*cite web
url = http://www.ville-ge.ch/cjb/bd/africa/details.php?langue=an&id=98705
title = "Senecio keniophytum" R.E.Fr. record n° 98705
accessdate = 2008-04-28
format = HTML
work = African Plants Database
publisher = South African National Biodiversity Institute, the Conservatoire et Jardin botaniques de la Ville de Genève and Tela Botanica