103. Elephantopus L. (elephant’s foot)
(Clonts, 1972;
Clonts and McDaniel, 1978)
About 30
species, nearly worldwide, except Europe and northern Asia.
In addition to
the single species recorded thus far from Missouri, two additional taxa of the southeastern
United States have been collected in adjacent counties of Arkansas. Both differ
from E. carolinianus in having the leaves mostly basal and stem leaves
much smaller than the basal ones. Elephantopus nudatus A. Gray has
slightly smaller heads and achenes, and the pappus bristles are flattened and
broadened to a triangular base. Elephantopus tomentosus L. has
relatively large heads and achenes and has usually woolly pubescence on the
involucral bracts (and sometimes also the leaf undersurface). These species
might possibly be discovered in the southernmost tier of Missouri counties in
the future.