False daisy
Eclipta prostrata
Family Asteraceae - emergent vegetation
Distinguishing Characteristics |
Emergent vegetation, low growing, stems light green to purple, sprawling (can be erect), rooting at nodes; leaves slender, elliptical to lanceolate shaped, arranged oppositely, widely spaced teeth on margins, with hairs that are pressed against the surface; petioles (stems on leaves) short or absent; 1-3 flowerheads arise from the axils of leaves; flowers very small with white narrow, short ray petals, center of disk with whitish florets, sometimes with yellow anthers surrounding florets; seed heads with many small greenish seeds. |
Similar Species |
Its flowers look similar to the Corpus Christi fleabane (Erigeron procumbens), but the CC fleabane has up to 300 narrow white ray flowers (much more than the false daisy). Its leaves are also wider and are arranged alternately as opposed oppositely as in the false daisy. |
Habitat |
Sand dunes, salt marshes, mudflats |
Maximum Size |
up to 60 cm (2 ft) in height |
Other Common Names |
yerba de tago |
Previous Scientific Names |
E. alba |
Comments |