Gallant Soldier

Plants 4–60 cm. Leaf blades 7–110 × 3–70(–80) mm. Peduncles 1–40 mm. Involucres campanulate, 2.5–5 mm diam. Phyllaries persistent. Paleae: outer persistent with distal phyllaries or falling, elliptic to obovate; inner usually persistent, lanceolate to ovate or obovate, 2–3.5 mm, 3-lobed, lobes to ¹/3+ total lengths, acute. Ray florets (3–)5(–8); corollas usually dull white (pink), laminae 0.5–1.8 × 0.7–1.5 mm. Disc florets 15–50. Cypselae: rays 1.5–2.5 mm; discs 1.3–2.5 mm, glabrous or strigose; pappi: rays 0 or of 5–10, laciniate scales 0.5–1 mm; discs 0, or of 15–20 white or gray, linear, fimbriate, obtuse (acute) scales 0.5–2 mm.

A cosmopolitan weed, native of tropical America.

850-3000 m