直茎合冠鼠麴草 zhi jing he guan shu qu cao

Gnaphalium calviceps Fernald, Rhodora 37: 449. 1935 ["calvescens"].

Herbs, annual, erect. Stems branched from base, 2-10(-40) cm tall, gray or dull gray-green villous. Basal leaves short lived, withering at anthesis; cauline leaves dull gray-green silky on both surfaces, linear to narrowly elliptic, 1.5-7 × 0.2-0.4 cm, margin entire or wavy, villous. Capitula initially in continuous or interrupted spiciform arrays 2-4 cm × 8-12 mm, later in loose paniculiform arrays 4-18 cm, lanate at base only; subtending leaves 1-3, 1-6 cm. Outer phyllaries ovate, 2-3 × ca. 1 mm, apex shortly acute to acuminate; inner ones brownish, sometimes tinged purplish, lanceolate, 3-3.2 × ca. 0.8 mm, scarious toward margin, apex obtuse to acute, mucronate. Outer florets many, filiform; corolla 2.1-2.3 mm. Central florets 2 or 3; corolla 1.6-1.7 mm. Achenes elliptic, ca. 0.5 mm. Pappus ca. 2.5 mm, connate at base into a ring. Fl. May-Jul.

Seasides, sandy beaches and waste fields. Introduced in Taiwan [native to South America].