Vernonia patens Kunth Cusuco (Asteraceae)

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Chavarría, F., Masís, A., Perez, D., Espinoza, R. and Guadamuz, A. 1998. Species Page de Vernonia patens (Asteraceae), April 13, 1998. Species Home Pages, Area de Conservación Guanacaste, Costa Rica. http://www.acguanacaste.ac.cr

I. Identification:

Shrub. DBH of 4-5 cm.

Flower:

Green bracts, inflorescences appear white with violet floretes (small flowers). The capitulums (compound flower) are arranged in terminal panicles (racemes with ramifications) on the ends of branches)

Lateral view of flower	Vies of inflorescence
florete (small flower)

The floretes (each small flower) are perfect (both sexes on the same flower). They have a sweet odor and open in the mornings.

Fruit:

Leaves:

The leaves are lanceolate in form with a serrated margin. The upper surface is dark green and the underside is light green.

Upper surface of the leaf	Under surface of the leaf
Detail of upper surface	Detail of under surface

The leaves are simple and opposite. They are pubescent on the upper surface and 15-18 cm long. The petiole is flat on one side and 2-2.5 cm long.

Bark and wood:

The bark is light brown and has a fine reticulate pattern.

Bark

Whole plant architecture:

Similar species:

Verification:

II. Geographic distribution:

International:

In Costa Rica:

In the Area de Conservación Guanacaste:

In forests found along the edges of streams in the semideciduous and submonatane rainforests (Cacao, Pitilla, San Cristobal) (Espinoza, 1998).

Map of macro-habitats of the ACG

III. Natural History:

You can see individuals of the Curculioniodae family visiting and copulating inclusivly on the flowers. Bees can also be observed visiting the flowers.

IV. How to find:

Acknowledgments:

This project was carried out by the Area de Conservación Guanacaste/CR, with help from INBio/CR, ICBG from the Foggarty center, NIH/USA and NSF/USA.

Thanks to Kate Beattie for helping with the image managment and translation of this species page.

Literature cited:

Espinoza, R. 1998. Programa de Investigación. Area de Conservación Guanacaste. Pers. Com.