Fleischmannia laxicephala (Cabrera) R.M. King & H. Rob., Phytologia 19: 204. 170.

Robinson, Harold, 2015, The genus Fleischmannia in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil and Paraguay (Eupatorieae, Asteraceae), PhytoKeys 57, pp. 61-92 : 66-67

Fleischmannia laxicephala (Cabrera) R.M. King & H. Rob., Phytologia 19: 204. 170.

Eupatorium laxicephalum Cabrera, Sellowia 15: 196. 1963. Type: Brazil. Santa Catarina, (Mun. Lauro Müller), Ruderal, lower and middle slope of serra by Rio do Rastro, 20 km west of Lauro Müller, alt. 700-1000 m, 3-IV-1957. L.B. Smith & R. Klein 12341 (holotype LP, isotype US).

Description.

Shrubs with many opposite, woody branches spreading at ca, 45° angles; stems terete, glabrous. Leaves opposite, petioles slender, 0.5-1.2 cm long, blades 1.5-5.0 cm long, 0.5-2.5 cm wide, base truncate to short-acute, margins with numerous jagged teeth, apex narrowly acute to slightly attenuate, surfaces glabrous, triplinervate from slight acumination at petiole, main veins pale. Inflorescence rather diffuse, with single or few heads at tips of leafy branches, slender glabrous peduncles 5-15 mm long, heads ca. 6 mm high; involucral bracts ca. 30, with few lanceolate outer bracts 1.0-1.5 mm long, inner bracts narrowly oblong, to 4 mm long, with mucronate tips; florets ca. 17 in a head; corollas white, ca. 2 mm long, basal tube ca. 0.5 mm long, throat ca. 1 mm long, lobes ca. 0.5 mm long, without evident hairs outside; anther thecae ca. 0.8 mm long, apical appendage ca. 0.2 mm long, style branches slender. Achenes ca. 1.2 mm long, ribs not pale, sparsely setuliferous; pappus white, ca. 2 mm long, of ca. 30 barbellate bristles, obviously broadened and contiguous at base.

Additional specimens seen. Brazil, Santa Catarina. Mun. Lauro Müller, Rod. SC-438, Serra do Rio do Rastro, erva, de capítulos alvos, paredões rochosos, 1000 m, 7 Apr. 1991, G. & M. Hatschbach 55312 & D. Guimarães, (MBM, US); Mun Lauro Müller, Serra Rio do Rastro, capítulos alvos, paredões rochosos úmidos, 18 Apr. 1994, G. Hatschbach 60640 & E. Barbosa (MBM, US); Serra da Rocinha, alto (Mun. Timbé do Syl), ereta, capitulo alvo, paredão roschoso, 13 March 2005, G, Hatschbach, E. Barbosa & E.F. Costa 79122 (MBM, US); Serra do Rio do Rastro (Mun. Lauro Müller), ereta 35 cm, flor alva, Paredão rochoso, alt. 1100-1200 m, 16 March 2005, G. Hatschbach,I E. Barbosa & E.F. Costa 79218 (MBM, US); Serra do Rio do Rastro (Mun. Lauro Müller), arbusto, 80 cm, capitulo alvacento, encosta de paredão úmido, 16 Nov. 2008, J.M. Silva,I J. Cordeiro, C.B. Poliquesi & J. Vaz 7194 (MBM, US).

The specimens seen are all woodier with more regular vegetative branching than most members of the genus Fleischmannia . This is only Brazilian species known with obviously broadened bases on the pappus bristles. The species is presently known only from Santa Catarina.