Berkheya spekeana
In shallow soil on a rocky hill, Turbo, Uasin Gishu, Kenya. Dec. 2015.
- Armed: The numerous prickles are flexible, but sharp.
- Disc Flowers: The yellow disc flowers are rather long-tubed and set on a convex receptacle.
- Range: This plant is reported on shallow soils atop rocky hills in highland areas of Kenya. Animal grazing tends to favor them.
- Ray Flowers: The many ray flowers are yellow, long and narrow.
- Phyllaries: The bracts enclosing the flower heads are also densely covered with prickles.
- Pappus: Several short scales.
- Leaves: The leaves may be linear or else narrowly divided into pinnate segments. Long slender prickles adorn the margins and serrations.
- Perennial: The largely herbaceous stems reach about 1½m tall and tend to occur in clusters from a root stock.