Blumea sessiliflora - Stalkless Knob-Bush

Stalkless Knob-Bush is an annual herb with stem branched or simple, round, 0.8-2 m tall, hairless at base, woolly above. Leaves are stalkless, 4-16 x 1.4-6 cm, inverted-lanceshaped, lower leaves usually lyrately lobed, upper leaves entire, all velutinous-hairy on both surfaces. Flower-heads are 3-5, in spike-like panicle, stalkless or sometimes stalked, 5-6 mm, carried on flower-cluster-stalks (when present) up to 1 cm. Involucre is columnar or bell-shaped, 4-6 x 1.5-6.5 mm, herbaceous; phyllaries in about 5 series, outer and middle ones lanceshaped or linear-lanceshaped, 2-4 mm, below densely velvet-hairy, margin dry membranous, inner linear, 4-6 mm, dry membranous, tip tapering. Receptacle is 1.5-3 mm in diameter, slightly convex, hairless. Flowers are yellow, tubular; marginal florets numerous, florets thread-like, 3.5-4 mm, limbs 3-toothed, hairless; central florets few, flower tubular, 4-5 mm, with 5 triangular, papillate and velvet-hairy lobes. Fruits are brown, finely velvet-hairy, about 1 mm, 8-10-ribbed, pappus white, 4-5 mm. Stalkless Knob-Bush is found in Tropical & Subtropical Asia, South India and East Himalaya. Flowering: June-October.