''Adenocaulon himalaicum'' is a species of perennial flowering plant in the family

Asteraceae Asteraceae () is a large family (biology), family of flowering plants that consists of over 32,000 known species in over 1,900 genera within the Order (biology), order Asterales. The number of species in Asteraceae is rivaled only by the Orchi ...

. It is native to China, Japan, India, Korea, and Nepal, and is an invasive species in Russia. It grows in shady places, often by the side of the road.

Etymology

The genus name ''Adenocaulon'' is derived from the Greek words "αδένας" (gland) + "kaulós" (stem), and refers to the plant's glandular stem. The specific epithet refers to the plant being first described from the Himalayas. ''Adenocaulon himalaicum'' is known as nobuki (ノブキ, 野蕗) in Japanese.

Description

The stem is erect and typically 30-100 cm tall. Leaves are basal and cauline, but the ones growing at the base wither before flowering. They are broad, dark green and irregularly toothed at the margin (sometimes entire).

Inflorescences In botany, an inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a plant's stem that is composed of a main branch or a system of branches. An inflorescence is categorized on the basis of the arrangement of flowers on a main axis ( pe ...

consist of tiny, 5-petaled white flowers. It is a

monoecious Monoecy (; adj. monoecious ) is a sexual system in seed plants where separate male and female cones or flowers are present on the same plant. It is a monomorphic sexual system comparable with gynomonoecy, andromonoecy and trimonoecy, and contras ...

plant, so flowers in the center are male, while the ones surrounding them are female. Fruit are 6-7 mm long club-shaped

achene An achene (; ), also sometimes called akene and occasionally achenium or achenocarp, is a type of simple fruit, simple dry fruits, dry fruit produced by many species of flowering plants. Achenes are monocarpellate (formed from one carpel) and Dehi ...

s, that start off light green but turn dark as they ripen. They are covered with sticky glands that let them attach to animal fur and human clothes. It flowers from June to late August, and bears fruit in September-November.

Distribution and habitat

''Adenocaulon himalaicum'' is native to China, Japan, India, Korea, and Nepal, and is an invasive species in Russia. It grows in forests, thickets, grassy slopes, and along stream sides.

Gallery

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q10921416 Mutisieae Flora of China Flora of Korea Flora of Japan Flora of Nepal