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- Flaveria trinervia
Flaveria trinervia — clustered yellowtops
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Facts
Clustered yellowtops is a plant mainly of the southwestern states and Mexico, but has become invasive in many parts of the world. It grows on saline and other mineralized soils, and is an exceptional bioaccumulator of arsenic. It has been tested for use in bioremediation of contaminated mine tailings.
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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Characteristics
- Habitat
-
- terrestrial
- wetlands
- New England state
- 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
- yellow
- Tuft or plume on fruit
- NA
- Spines on plant
- the plant has no spines
- Leaf blade length
- 30–150 mm
- Disk flower number
-
- 0
- 1-5
-
Flowers
- Bract cycle number
- there is one main cycle of bracts
- 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 oblong (roughly rectangular but rounded at the ends)
- Bract spines
- the bracts have no spines
- Bract tip shape
- the tips of the bracts are obtuse (have a blunt point)
- Bracts
- NA
- Disk flower color
- yellow
- Disk flower lobe number
- 5
- Disk flower number
-
- 0
- 1-5
- Disk flower reproductive parts
- the disk flower has both pollen- and seed-producing parts
- Disk flower shape
- the disk flower is tube-shaped (cylindrical), or gradually widening like a funnel
- Flower head number
- each flowering stem has four or more flower heads on it
- Flower head outer flowers
-
- at the outer edge of the flower head, each flower has a single enlarged lobe or strap
- 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
- some or all the flower heads are grouped in clusters of two or more
- Flower head profile
- the disk is rounded across the top
- Flower head shape
- the sides of the flower head are roughly parallel, like a cylinder
- 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
- 3.8–4.5 mm
- Inflorescence branching (Solidago)
- NA
- Inflorescence shape
-
- the flower heads grow in clusters from the axils of the branches or leaves
- the inflorescence is flat-topped in profile
- Inflorescence stem
- the stem of the inflorescence is not hairy
- Number of bracts at flower head base
- 2
- 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 ten or more ribs visible on the ovary
- Ovary profile
-
- in profile, the ovary is another shape
- in profile, the ovary is lance-shaped, but widest above the middle
- Peduncle hair type
- NA
- Peduncle hairs
- NA
- Peduncle length
- 0 mm
- Peduncle orientation
- NA
- Ray flower color
- yellow
- Ray flower reproductive parts
-
- the ray flowers have carpels or stamens, but not both
- there are neither carpels nor stamens in the ray flowers
- Ray flowers
-
- 0
- 1-5
- Ray length
- 0.5–1 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
- Smaller bracts at base of bracts
- NA
- Style branch number
- the style has two branches
- Swelling at base of flower head
- NA
- Width of flower head base
- Up to 1 mm
-
Fruits or seeds
- Number of pappus parts
- 0
- Ovary length in developed fruit
- 2–2.6 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
- NA
- Top of disk flower ovary
- NA
- Tuft or plume on fruit
- NA
-
Glands or sap
- 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 annual, it lacks evidence of previous years' growth
- Spines on plant
- the plant has no spines
-
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
- opposite: there are two leaves per node along the stem
- Leaf blade base
-
- the leaf has a distinct petiole
- 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 truncate (ends abruptly in a more or less straight line as though cut off)
- Leaf blade edges
- the edge of the leaf blade has teeth
- Leaf blade hairs
- NA
- Leaf blade length
- 30–150 mm
- Leaf blade shape
-
- the leaf blade is elliptic (widest near the middle and tapering at both ends)
- the leaf blade is lanceolate (lance-shaped; widest below the middle and tapering at both ends)
- the leaf blade is oblanceolate (lance-shaped, but with the widest point above the middle of the leaf blade)
- the leaf blade is obovate (egg-shaped, but with the widest point above the middle of the leaf blade)
- Leaf blade tip
-
- the tip of the leaf blade is acute (sharply pointed)
- the tip of the leaf blade is obtuse (bluntly pointed)
- Leaf blade veins
- the leaf blade has three main veins running from the base towards the tip
- Leaf blade width
- 7–40 mm
- 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 leaf stalks
- the leaves have no leaf stalks, but attach directly to the stem
- Leaf stalk length
- 10–20 mm
- Leaf type
- leaves are simple (i.e., lobed or unlobed but not separated into leaflets)
- Leaflet number
- 0
- Specific leaf type
- the leaves are simple (i.e., lobed or unlobed but not separated into leaflets
-
Place
- Habitat
-
- terrestrial
- wetlands
- New England state
- Massachusetts
- Specific habitat
- man-made or disturbed habitats
-
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 type
- the stem has no hairs between the nodes
- Stem internode hairs
- the stem has no hairs between the nodes
Wetland status
Usually occurs in wetlands, but occasionally in non-wetlands. (Wetland indicator code: FACW)
In New England
Distribution
- Connecticut
- absent
- 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. Flaveria trinervia (Spreng.) C. Mohr E
clustered yellowtops. Oedera trinervia Spreng. • MA. Disturbed areas, frequently near water and often with saline influence.
Native to North America?
Yes and no (some introduced)
Synonyms
- Oedera trinervia Spreng.