Pteronia paniculata

Pteronia paniculata ("Gombos" or "Gum-bush") is a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae, indigenous to the Karoo regions of South Africa.

Pteronia paniculata
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Plantae
(unranked):
Angiosperms
(unranked):
Eudicots
(unranked):
Asterids
Order:
Asterales
Family:
Asteraceae
Tribe:
Astereae
Genus:
Pteronia
Species:
P. paniculata
Binomial name
Pteronia paniculata
Thunb.

Description
Detail of the clusters of flowers
Detail of slender green leaves, and dried flower sheaths

This aromatic species has sticky leaves but, unlike some other Pteronia species, the flowers are not sticky. It has slender, furrowed, needle, incurved, green leaves, held in opposite pairs.

It forms clusters of flowers (several capitula) at the tips of its branches. This helps to distinguish it from the otherwise similar species Pteronia pallens.[1][2]

Distribution
Adult bush in habitat

This species is widespread, occurring from Namibia to the Robertson Karoo in the south, as well as eastwards into the Eastern Cape.

Its natural habitat is dry, rocky apronveld and it is extremely common. Due to its being inedible for livestock, it achieves unnatural densities in areas that are overgrazed.

It often cooccurs with its close relatives, Pteronia pallens or Pteronia incana.[3][4]

References
  1. "Operation Wildflower - rescuing indigenous vegetation - Category: Pteronia - Image: Pteronia paniculata". Operationwildflower.org.za.
  2. Herta Kolberg; Michiel van Slageren. "A synopsis of the genus Pteronia (Compositae: Astereae) in Namibia including the resurrection of Pteronia quadrifaria" (PDF). Herbaria.plants.ox.ac.uk. Retrieved 6 February 2019.
  3. "Threatened Species Programme - SANBI Red List of South African Plants". Redlist.sanbi.org.
  4. J.Vlok & A.Schutte-Vlok (2010) Plants of the Klein Karoo. Umdaus, Hatfield.


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