9006.000 Helichrysum Mill. - Everlasting flowers

Herbs, suffrutices or shrubs, usually woolly or cobwebby and often glandular. Leaves alternate, entire. Capitula in terminal ± flat-topped corymbs or solitary. Phyllaries in few to many series, white, yellow, straw-coloured, pink or red (everlasting). Receptacle smooth, honeycombed or minutely fimbriate. Receptacular scales rarely present. Marginal florets female, central bisexual. Achenes usually glabrous. Pappus generally 1-seriate.

Derivation of name: Greek for sun and gold, referring to the flower heads.

Comment: Unfortunately we are still awaiting an updated revision of this large and diverse genus for the Flora Zambesiaca. The species list in our database is based on specimens found at SRGH and the unpublished and unfinished draft manuscript written by Prof. Hiram Wild around 1980. It is therefore possible that some names are missing or that not all names used in our system are taxonomically up-to-date and correct.

Worldwide: c. 600 species in warm regions of the Old Word, especially southern Africa

Malawi: 47 taxa.