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• Dichotomous Key
• Asteraceae
• Asteraceae Group 3
• Cotula
• Cotula coronopifolia

Cotula coronopifolia — common brassbuttons

Facts

Common brassbuttons is an invasive species of wet soils, especially after disturbance. Hailing from Europe, this species has button-like, yellow composite flowers lacking rays. It has been recorded from Massachusetts.

Habitat

Anthropogenic (man-made or disturbed habitats), meadows and fields

Characteristics

• Flowers

  Bract color

  • the bracts are colored, or at least tinged with, pink, red or purple
  • the bracts are not colored or tinged with pink, red or purple

  Bract cycle number

  • there are three or more cycles of bracts
  • there are two main cycles of bracts

  Bract inner side hairs

  the bracts are not hairy on their inner surfaces

  Bract margins

  there are few or no fine hairs along the bract margins

  Bract outer side hair type

  the bracts are not hairy on their outer surface

  Bract outer side hairs

  the bracts are not hairy on their outer surfaces

  Bract shape

  • the main bracts are lanceolate (widest above the base, then taper narrowly towards the tip)
  • the main bracts are linear (long and very narrow)
  • the main bracts are oblong (roughly rectangular but rounded at the ends)

  Bract spines

  the bracts have no spines

  Bract tip color

  the tips are a different color from the center of the bract

  Bract tip extension appearance

  NA

  Bract tip extension edge

  there are no projections from the bract tips

  Bract tip orientation

  the bracts are pressed against the plant, or spreading out at the tips

  Bract tip shape

  • the tips of the bracts are obtuse (have a blunt point)
  • the tips of the bracts are rounded

  Bracts

  the bracts in separate cycles are similar or gradually changing from the outer to inner cycles

  Disk flower color

  yellow

  Disk flower lobe number

  • 3
  • 4

  Disk flower number

  • 11-20
  • 21-50
  • more than 50

  Disk flower reproductive parts

  • the disk flower has both pollen- and seed-producing parts
  • the disk flower has either only pollen- or only seed-producing parts

  Disk flower shape

  the disk flower is abruptly widened at some point below the lobes

  Disk width

  5–11 mm

  Flower head number

  each flowering stem has only one to three flower heads on it

  Flower head outer flowers

  at the outer edge of the flower head, the flowers have no enlarged lobe or strap, and are of similar size as those in the center of the disk

  Flower head platform

  the base has no bristles or papery scales

  Flower head platform surface

  NA

  Flower head position

  each of the flower heads is separate on its own peduncle (stalk), not clustered in groups

  Flower head profile

  • the disk is flat or nearly flat across the top
  • the disk is rounded across the top

  Flower head shape

  the flower head is hemispherical (like the bottom half of a sphere)

  Flower head width

  5–11 mm

  Flower type in flower heads

  the flower head has disk flowers only, and lacks the strap-shaped flowers

  Inflorescence branching (Solidago)

  NA

  Inflorescence shape

  NA

  Inflorescence stem

  the stem of the inflorescence is not hairy

  Number of bracts at flower head base

  At least 21

  Ovary cross-section

  the ovary is compressed (flattened)

  Ovary hair type

  the ovary has no hairs on it

  Ovary hairs

  the ovary has no hairs on it

  Ovary lines or ribs

  there are two lines or ribs visible on the ovary

  Ovary profile

  • in profile, the ovary is oblong (roughly rectangular but rounded at the ends)
  • in profile, the ovary is roughly egg-shaped, but widest above the middle

  Ovary surface

  • the ovary surface has no points, bumps or wrinkles, though it may have lines, ribs or wings
  • the ovary surface is textured with tiny points, bumps or wrinkles

  Ovary wing number

  • 0
  • 1-2

  Peduncle hair type

  NA

  Peduncle hairs

  the peduncles have no hairs

  Ray flower color

  NA

  Ray flower reproductive parts

  NA

  Ray flowers

  0

  Ray length

  0 mm

  Reproductive system

  some of the flowers on the plant have only carpels or stamens, while others have both carpels and stamens

  Scale tip

  NA

  Width of flower head base

  6–12 mm

• Fruits or seeds

  Number of pappus parts

  0

  Ovary length in developed fruit

  1.2–1.8 mm

  Seed hair tuft bases

  NA

  Seed hair tuft color

  NA

  Seed hair tuft details

  NA

  Seed hair tuft length

  0 mm

  Seed hair tuft tips

  NA

  Seed hairs uniform

  NA

  Seed tuft scale number

  0

  Seed tuft type

  there is no pappus on the ovary

  Top of disk flower ovary

  NA

  Tuft or plume on fruit

  there is no plume, or the plume is made up of scales, awns, a crown, or a rim

• Glands or sap

  Leaf blade glands

  the leaf blades have glandular (translucent) dots or scales

  Ovary glands

  • there are glands on the ovary surface
  • there are no visible glands on the ovary

  Sap

  the sap is clear and watery

• Growth form

  Growth form

  the plant has one or more free-standing stems

  Plant lifespan

  the plant is perennial, it shows evidence of previous year's leaves, stems or stem bases

  Spines on plant

  the plant has no spines

  Underground organs

  there are only slender roots on the plant

• Leaves

  Hairs on underside of leaf blade

  the underside of the leaf is not hairy, or has very few hairs

  Hairs on upper side of leaf blade

  the upper side of the leaf is not hairy, or has very few hairs

  Leaf arrangement

  alternate: there is one leaf per node along the stem

  Leaf blade base

  • the leaf has no petiole
  • the leaf has no petiole and at the base it clasps the stem, or goes all the way around the stem so the stem appears to pierce the leaf

  Leaf blade base shape

  the base of the leaf blade is cuneate (wedge-shaped, tapers to the base with relatively straight, converging edges), or narrow

  Leaf blade edges

  • the edge of the leaf blade has lobes, or it has both teeth and lobes
  • the edge of the leaf blade has no teeth or lobes
  • the edge of the leaf blade has teeth

  Leaf blade hairs

  NA

  Leaf blade length

  10–70 mm

  Leaf blade shape

  • the leaf blade is lanceolate (lance-shaped; widest below the middle and tapering at both ends)
  • the leaf blade is linear (very narrow with more or less parallel sides)
  • the leaf blade is oblong (rectangular but with rounded ends)

  Leaf blade surface colors

  there is no noticeable color variation on the upper surface of the leaf

  Leaf blade tip

  • the tip of the leaf blade is acuminate (tapers to a long, thin point)
  • the tip of the leaf blade is acute (sharply pointed)

  Leaf disposition

  the leaves are nearly similar in size, prominence of teeth, and length of stalks throughout the stem

  Leaf spines

  there are no spines on the leaf edges

  Leaf stalk

  the leaves have no leaf stalks, but attach directly to the stem

  Leaf stalk length

  0 mm

  Leaf tip extension

  NA

  Leaf type

  leaves are simple (i.e., lobed or unlobed but not separated into leaflets)

  Specific leaf type

  the leaf has a row of two or more lobes on each side of the central axis

  Teeth per side of leaf blade

  At least 3

• Place

  Habitat

  wetlands

  New England state

  Maine

  Specific habitat

  • man-made or disturbed habitats
  • meadows or fields

• Scent

  Plant odor

  the plant has a pleasant odor, such as licorice, fruit or resin

• Stem, shoot, branch

  Leaves on stem

  there is at least one full leaf above the base of the flowering stem

  Stem internode hair direction

  NA

  Stem internode hair length

  0 mm

  Stem internode hair type

  the stem has no hairs between the nodes

  Stem internode hairs

  the stem has no hairs between the nodes

Wetland status

Occurs only in wetlands. (Wetland indicator code: OBL)

New England distribution and conservation status

From the dichotomous key of Flora Novae Angliae