Lepidaploa gracilis (Kunth) H. Rob.

Vernonia gracilis H. B. K. Nov. Gen. & Sp. 4: 34. 1818
Vernonia Moritziana Schultz-Bip. Linnaea 20: 511. 1847.
Cacalia gracilis Kuntze, Rev. Gen. 970. 1891.
Cacalia Moritziana Kuntze, Rev. Gen. 970. 1891.
Vernonia Coloneaster angnstifolia Hieron. Bot. Jahrb. 23: 559. 1901.
Vernonia gracilis tomenlosa Ekman, Ark. Bot. 13 u : 25. 1914.
Stems herbaceous, sparingly branched, appressed-villous to pubescent; leaf-blades
narrowly oblong-lanceolate, 5-9 cm. long, 1-15 mm. wide, acuminate, crenate to entire, acute
at base, thinly pubescent and minutely red-glandular on both sides, but especially beneath
and along the veins ; inflorescence of single heads at the upper nodes, forming an undifferentiated
cyme, the bracteal leaves not reduced; heads sessile, 21-26-flowered, 2-4 cm. apart; involucre
broadly campanulate, 4-5 cm. high, the outer scales with a long subulate tip equaling or
exceeding the narrowly triangular base, ciliate, somewhat pubescent along the prominent
midvein, the inner broader, sharply acuminate or somewhat subulate, scarious-margined,
puberulent, not prominently veined; achenes finely ribbed, thinly pubescent, 1.5 mm. long;
pappus white, the bristles 4-5 mm. long, the scales broadly oblong, 0.8-1.1 mm. long.
Type locality: Colombia.
Distribution: Colombia; apparently introduced into Bequia.