Centratherum punctatum

Centratherum punctatum Cass.

Family       : Asteraceae

Common Name : കേശപുഷ്പം (Mal)

                                Brazilian batchlers button(Eng)

Called Brazilian Button Flower, this bushy perennial is native to Brazil. Coming into bloom in a rather short period from seed, the lavender-blue, button flowers to 1-1/4 inches are long lasting and borne continually until frost. The flowers resemble tiny Canadian thistle flowers. The refreshing resinous pineapple scented foliage would be a good candidate for wreaths or potpourri. The plant mounds 2' high to 3' across. It will occasionally reseed itself.

Erect to procumbent herbs, branches terete, ascending, tomentose. Leaves simple, alternate, often clustered to the stem apex, 1.5-6 x 1-4 cm, ovate to elliptic, or spathulate, cuneate to attenuate at base, acute at apex, margin serrate, glandular punctuate and tomentose on both sides; lateral nerves 3-5 pairs, faint; subsessile to shortly petiolate. Heads terminal, single or in 2-3 clusters; many flowered, ray florets absent, peduncle 2-6 cm long. Involucral bracts in several series, membraneous, glandular, aristate to rounded, outer foliaceous, greenish and inner layers purplish. Corolla purplish, 6-10mm long, glandular. Achenes 8-10 ribbed, 2-2.5 mm long; pappus stamineous, 1.5-3 mm long, deciduous.