Eclipta prostrata — false daisy
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Facts
False daisy is native to parts of North America, but its range does not encompass New England, where it has been collected in Massachusetts, and recently in Connecticut. False daisy is used in Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine against liver disease and to restore hair growth.
Habitat
Anthropogenic (man-made or disturbed habitats)
New England distribution
Adapted from BONAP data
Native: indigenous.
Non-native: introduced (intentionally or unintentionally); has become naturalized.
County documented: documented to exist in the county by evidence (herbarium specimen, photograph). Also covers those considered historical (not seen in 20 years).
State documented: documented to exist in the state, but not documented to a county within the state. Also covers those considered historical (not seen in 20 years).
Note: when native and non-native populations both exist in a county, only native status is shown on the map.
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enlargeCharacteristics
- Habitat
- terrestrial
- New England state
-
- Connecticut
- Massachusetts
- Leaf type
- leaves are simple (i.e., lobed or unlobed but not separated into leaflets)
- Leaf arrangement
- opposite: there are two leaves per node along the stem
- Leaf blade edges
- the edge of the leaf blade has teeth
- Flower type in flower heads
- the flower head has tubular disk flowers in the center and ray flowers, these often strap-shaped, around the periphery
- Ray flower color
- white
- Tuft or plume on fruit
- there is no plume, or the plume is made up of scales, awns, a crown, or a rim
- Spines on plant
- the plant has no spines
- Leaf blade length
- 20–100 mm
- Flower head width
- 5–10 mm
- Disk flower number
-
- 11-20
- 21-50
-
Flowers
- Bract cycle number
-
- there are two main cycles of bracts
- there is one main cycle of bracts
- Bract outer side hair type
- the bracts are hairy, with simple hairs on their outer surface
- Bract outer side hairs
- the bracts are hairy on their outer surfaces
- Disk flower color
- white
- Disk flower number
-
- 11-20
- 21-50
- Flower head platform
- the base has papery scales on it
- Flower head width
- 5–10 mm
- Flower type in flower heads
- the flower head has tubular disk flowers in the center and ray flowers, these often strap-shaped, around the periphery
- Height of flower head base
- 3–5 mm
- Ovary cross-section
- the ovary is compressed (flattened)
- Ray flower color
- white
- Ray flowers
-
- 16-25
- 26-50
-
Fruits or seeds
- Ovary length in developed fruit
- 2.5 mm
- Tuft or plume on fruit
- there is no plume, or the plume is made up of scales, awns, a crown, or a rim
-
Growth form
- Growth form
- the plant has one or more free-standing stems
- Spines on plant
- the plant has no spines
-
Leaves
- Hairs on underside of leaf blade
- the underside of the leaf is fuzzy or hairy
- Leaf arrangement
- opposite: there are two leaves per node along the stem
- Leaf blade base
-
- the leaf has a distinct petiole
- the leaf has no petiole
- 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 teeth
- Leaf blade hairs
- the leaf blade has simple hairs with no glands, and not tangled or wooly
- Leaf blade length
- 20–100 mm
- Leaf blade shape
-
- the leaf blade is lanceolate (lance-shaped; widest below the middle and tapering at both ends)
- the leaf blade is ovate (widest below the middle and broadly tapering at both ends)
- Leaf blade veins
- the leaf blade has one main vein running from the base towards the tip
- Leaf spines
- there are no spines on the leaf edges
- Leaf stalk
-
- the leaves have leaf stalks
- the leaves have no leaf stalks, but attach directly to the stem
- Leaf type
- leaves are simple (i.e., lobed or unlobed but not separated into leaflets)
- Specific leaf type
- the leaves are simple (i.e., lobed or unlobed but not separated into leaflets
-
Place
- Habitat
- terrestrial
- New England state
-
- Connecticut
- Massachusetts
- Specific habitat
- man-made or disturbed habitats
-
Stem, shoot, branch
- Stem internode hair type
- the hairs on the stem are plain, without glands or branches, and not tangled
- Stem internode hairs
- the stem has hairs between the nodes
Wetland status
Usually occurs in wetlands, but occasionally in non-wetlands. (Wetland indicator code: FACW)
In New England
Distribution
- Connecticut
- present
- Maine
- absent
- Massachusetts
- present
- New Hampshire
- absent
- Rhode Island
- absent
- Vermont
- absent
Conservation status
Exact status definitions can vary from state to state. For details, please check with your state.
- Massachusetts
- not applicable (S-rank: SNA)
From Flora Novae Angliae dichotomous key
1. Eclipta prostrata (L.) L. E
false daisy. Eclipta alba (L.) Hassk.; Verbesina prostrata L. • CT, MA. Waste areas, disturbed places, trail edges. This species recently collected in the Connecticut River drainage of CT along the edge of a trail through a fresh-tidal wetland.
Native to North America?
Yes and no (some introduced)
Sometimes confused with
- Galinsoga parviflora:
- capitula with 3-8 ray flowers and leaf blades lanceolate to broad-ovate, 15-70 mm wide (vs. E. prostrate, with capitula with 20-40 ray flowers and leaf blades narrow-lanceolate to lanceolate, 4-30 mm wide).
- Galinsoga quadriradiata:
- capitula with 3-8 ray flowers and leaf blades lanceolate to broad-ovate, 15-45 mm wide (vs. E. prostrate, with capitula with 20-40 ray flowers and leaf blades narrow-lanceolate to lanceolate, 4-30 mm wide).
Synonyms
- Eclipta alba (L.) Hassk.
- Verbesina prostrata L.