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Western Wetland Flora

Field Office Guide to Plant Species

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Cotula coronopifolia L.

JPG -- Species Photo JPG -- Distribution Map

Family: Composite (Compositae)
Flowering: March-December
Field Marks: This rather fleshy plant is distinguished by its bright yellow flower heads that consist only of disk flowers. The smooth leaves are usually pinnately lobed and up to 3 inches long.
Habitat: Salt marshes, along streams, often in mud.
Habit: Perennial herb, rooting at the lower nodes.
Stems: Ascending to spreading, rather fleshy, branched, up to 1 foot long, smooth.
Leaves: Alternate, simple but usually pinnately lobed, linear to oblong, up to 3 inches long, smooth, sessile or even slightly clasping at the base.
Flowers: Borne in heads, with usually 1 head from the axils of the uppermost leaves, the head up to 1/2 inch across, bright yellow, consisting only of disk flowers; bracts oblong, with 3-5 veins.
Sepals: 0.
Petals: 4, bright yellow, united to form tubular disk flowers.
Stamens: 5.
Pistils: Ovary inferior, smooth.
Fruits: Achenes winged or unwinged, up to 1/10 inch long, without a tuft of soft bristles at the tip.

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Page Last Modified: Saturday, 02-Feb-2013 06:27:49 EST
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