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Emilia fosbergii

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Emilia fosbergii
Above in Florida, below in Hawai'i
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Asterales
Family: Asteraceae
Genus: Emilia
Species:
E. fosbergii
Binomial name
Emilia fosbergii

Emilia fosbergii is a species of plant in the sunflower family.[1][2][3] It is commonly known in the United States as Florida tasselflower.[4]

Taxonomy

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Emilia fosbergii has been collected in many places for many years, the specimens regarded as belonging to E. coccinia, E. sagittata, or E. javanica. A reexamination of a large number of specimens led Nicolson to recognize it as a distinct species in 1975. He named the species in honor of Francis Raymond Fosberg.[5]

Distribution

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Emilia fosbergii is widely distributed in tropical and semitropical parts of the world: Africa, South and Southeast Asia, northern Australia, North and South America, and various oceanic islands. Its region of origin is the subject of some dispute; some say it is native to Africa, while others say Asia or South America.[6][7][8] It is reportedly naturalized in scattered locations in the United States, including Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands.[6][9]

Description

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Emilia fosbergii is an annual herb, growing up to 100 cm (40 inches) tall. It generally has only one central stem, sometimes branching but other times not. Each flower head can contain more than 60 pink, purple, or red disc florets, however, no ray florets are present.[10] It produces seeds with hairs intended for wind dispersal. [11]

The seed head of Emilia Fosbergii against a background of grass in a natural park. The seeds have visible hairs for wind dispersal.
E. fosbergii seed head

References

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  1. ^ Nicolson, Dan Henry 1975. Phytologia 32(1): 34
  2. ^ Tropicos, Emilia fosbergii Nicolson
  3. ^ Nicolson, D. H. 1980. A summary of cytological information on Emilia and the taxonomy of four Pacific taxa of Emilia (Asteraceae: Senecioneae). Systematic Botany 5: 391–407.
  4. ^ Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). "PLANTS Profile, Emilia fosbergii". The PLANTS Database. United States Department of Agriculture. Retrieved 2008-05-21.
  5. ^ Nicolson, Dan Henry 1975. Phytologia 32(1): 33-34
  6. ^ a b "Flann, C (ed) 2009+ Global Compositae Checklist". Archived from the original on 2014-11-20. Retrieved 2014-11-20.
  7. ^ Flora of North America, Florida tasselflower, Emilia fosbergii Nicolson, Phytologia. 32: 34. 1975.
  8. ^ Flora of China Vol. 20-21 Page 543 缨荣花 ying rong hua Emilia fosbergii Nicolson, Phytologia. 32: 34. 1975.
  9. ^ Biota of North America Program 2013 county distribution map
  10. ^ Flora of North America, Florida tasselflower, Emilia fosbergii Nicolson
  11. ^ [1] CABI Compendium, Emilia fosbergii (Florida tassel-flower), Rojas-Sandoval, Acevedo-Rodriguez.
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Media related to Emilia fosbergii at Wikimedia Commons