Macromorphological features and habitat of Berkheya dumicola, including, (a) habitat and habit, (b) inflorescence comprising clusters of three to ten heads; large leaves with spines present at the lacinia apices but not along the margins, (c) base of capitulum showing short peduncle and spiny, 4-seriate involucre and (d) deeply alveolate receptacle with irregularly fimbriate alveolar margins (disc florets corollas removed).

Contexts in source publication

Context 1

... shrub up to 2 m tall, with gnarled woody stem to 120 mm diameter at base, branches leafy towards apices (Figure 2a), thinly (glandular-) tomentose. Leaves: alternate, sessile, oblanceolate in outline, 30 mm -80 mm × 20 mm -50 mm, lamina narrowed to slender base ± 2 mm wide, pinnatifid, two-jugate with five primary lacinia, lacinia increasing in size distally, primary lateral lacinia each with smaller secondary lobe in distal axil, narrowed at base and often with additional slender patent lobes resembling spines, lacinia somewhat concave, triangular to narrowly triangular, shorter than to as long as the width of undivided portion, excurrent in apical yellowish spine but lacking spines along margins, margins revolute (Figure 2b), discolorous, adaxial surface thinly woolly when young, glabrescent, abaxial surface densely white-felted. ...

Context 2

... shrub up to 2 m tall, with gnarled woody stem to 120 mm diameter at base, branches leafy towards apices (Figure 2a), thinly (glandular-) tomentose. Leaves: alternate, sessile, oblanceolate in outline, 30 mm -80 mm × 20 mm -50 mm, lamina narrowed to slender base ± 2 mm wide, pinnatifid, two-jugate with five primary lacinia, lacinia increasing in size distally, primary lateral lacinia each with smaller secondary lobe in distal axil, narrowed at base and often with additional slender patent lobes resembling spines, lacinia somewhat concave, triangular to narrowly triangular, shorter than to as long as the width of undivided portion, excurrent in apical yellowish spine but lacking spines along margins, margins revolute (Figure 2b), discolorous, adaxial surface thinly woolly when young, glabrescent, abaxial surface densely white-felted. Capitula: shortly pedunculate, 3-10 in loose corymbs at ends of short, slender flowering branches, several branches arranged together in paniculate synflorescences, radiate, 20 mm -35 mm diameter across expanded ray florets, florets rich yellow. ...

Context 3

... shortly pedunculate, 3-10 in loose corymbs at ends of short, slender flowering branches, several branches arranged together in paniculate synflorescences, radiate, 20 mm -35 mm diameter across expanded ray florets, florets rich yellow. Involucral bracts: 4-seriate (Figure 2c), basally connate in involucre ± 4 mm deep, squarrose, concave, narrowly lanceolate, margins thickened, cartilaginous, yellowish, with apical spine 2 mm -3 mm long and with 2 or 3 pairs of similar marginal spines, glabrous, outer bracts 5 mm -8 mm × 2 mm -3 mm, median 10 mm - 12 mm × 2 mm -3 mm, inner narrowly lanceolate, 6 mm - 8 mm × 1.5 mm -2.0 mm. Receptacle: deeply alveolate (Figure 2d), ovaries embedded in fleshy alveolar tissue, alveole margins extended into irregularly serrated cartilaginous teeth 1.0 mm -2.5 mm long ( Figure 3d). ...

Context 4

... bracts: 4-seriate (Figure 2c), basally connate in involucre ± 4 mm deep, squarrose, concave, narrowly lanceolate, margins thickened, cartilaginous, yellowish, with apical spine 2 mm -3 mm long and with 2 or 3 pairs of similar marginal spines, glabrous, outer bracts 5 mm -8 mm × 2 mm -3 mm, median 10 mm - 12 mm × 2 mm -3 mm, inner narrowly lanceolate, 6 mm - 8 mm × 1.5 mm -2.0 mm. Receptacle: deeply alveolate (Figure 2d), ovaries embedded in fleshy alveolar tissue, alveole margins extended into irregularly serrated cartilaginous teeth 1.0 mm -2.5 mm long ( Figure 3d). Ray florets: 8-10, sterile and lacking pappus, attached to small alveoles fused to inner surface of innermost involucral bracts (Figure 2d), tube ± 8 mm long, glandular-pubescent, limb narrowly oblanceolate, 12 mm -15 mm × 3 mm -5 mm, lamina apex unevenly 4-toothed with central division much shallower than two lateral divisions (Figure 3a). ...

Context 5

... deeply alveolate (Figure 2d), ovaries embedded in fleshy alveolar tissue, alveole margins extended into irregularly serrated cartilaginous teeth 1.0 mm -2.5 mm long ( Figure 3d). Ray florets: 8-10, sterile and lacking pappus, attached to small alveoles fused to inner surface of innermost involucral bracts (Figure 2d), tube ± 8 mm long, glandular-pubescent, limb narrowly oblanceolate, 12 mm -15 mm × 3 mm -5 mm, lamina apex unevenly 4-toothed with central division much shallower than two lateral divisions (Figure 3a). Disc florets: 16-18, hermaphrodite, corolla funnel-shaped, 8 mm -9 mm long, tube ± 5 mm long, densely glandular-pubescent with long pale hairs, deeply lobed, lobes erect, narrowly lanceolate, ± 4 mm long, apically sparsely hairy with short clavate orange hairs on abaxial surfaces, lobe margins somewhat thickened (Figure 3b). ...

Context 6

... large, shrubby species has been collected from only one locality in the northern Bokkeveld, north-west of Nieuwoudtville, on the very edge of the escarpment (Figure 1). Two subpopulations, each of approximately 30 plants, have been found growing about 800 m apart on steep, southwest-facing slopes amongst large sandstone boulders (Figure 2a). The plants occasionally sprawl over the rocky outcrops. ...

Context 7

... dumicola is an unusually large, shrubby species in a genus dominated by perennial herbs. The shrubby habit, radiate heads and relatively broad leaves (Figure 2b shares this unusual combination of characters: the recently described Berkheya chrysanthemoides from the nearby central Bokkeveld. Berkheya dumicola differs from B. chrysanthemoides in having leaves that are broader (20 mm - 50 mm in B. dumicola; 15 mm -30 mm in B. chrysanthemoides), lack marginal spines (both species have spines on the lacinia apices but B. chrysanthemoides also possesses smaller antrorse spines along the margins) and are conspicuously tomentose on their abaxial surfaces (contrasting with the abaxially glabrous leaves of B. chrysanthemoides). ...