Family: Asteraceae
Ambrosia
Citation:
L., Sp. Pl. 987 (1753).
Derivation: Greek ambrosia, the unguent of the gods; used in Roman times as the name of various aromatic plants.
Synonymy: Not Applicable Common name: Ragweeds.
Description:
Annual and perennial herbs, often somewhat woody, glandular, aromatic; leaves cauline, mostly opposite, petiolate or sessile, flat, lobed to bipinnate.
Capitula inconspicuous, unisexual, monoecious; male capitula discoid, numerous, drooping, in leafless terminal racemes; involucre cup-shaped, herbaceous, of few uniseriate almost completely connate bracts; receptacle with scales; florets tubular, pentamerous; anthers free, obtuse at the base, with a short appendage at the apex; style short, entire; female capitula sessile in the upper leaf axils; involucre vase-shaped, of few uniseriate almost completely connate bracts, becoming hardened, beaked and ribbed in fruit; floret solitary; corolla absent; style branches linear.
Achene ovoid, smooth, retained inside the nut-like involucre; pappus absent.
Distribution:
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About 40 species in North and South America and the Mediterranean region; 3 are naturalised in Australia.
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Biology:
No text
Key to Species:
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1. Leaves pinnatipartite, the segments lanceolate, often toothed, 2-4 mm wide |
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A. psilostachya 1. |
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1. Leaves bipinnatisect, the segments linear, to 1.5 mm wide |
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A. tenuifolia 2. |
Author:
Not yet available
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