79. Nabalus Cassini in F. Cuvier, Dict. Sci. Nat. 34: 94. 1825.
耳菊属 er ju shu
Authors: Zhu Shi & Norbert Kilian
Herbs, perennial. Stem erect, leafy. Synflorescence paniculiform, with many capitula. Capitula often nodding, with 5-25 florets. Involucre narrowly cylindric to narrowly campanulate. Phyllaries in few series; outer phyllaries gradually longer centripetally, to 1/2 as long as inner ones; inner phyllaries ± equal in length. Receptacle naked. Florets yellow, pale purplish, whitish, or greenish. Achene columnar to narrowly fusiform, with 5 weaker or stronger main ribs alternating with 2-4 ± conspicuous secondary ribs, apex truncate. Pappus brownish, of scabrid brittle bristles.
About 15 species: E Asia, North America; two species in China.
The presence of Nabalus acerifolius Maximowicz in China, given by W. Wang and C. Y. Li (Fl. Pl. Herb. Chin. Bor.-Orient. 9: 419. 2004) under the name Prenanthes acerifolia (Maximowicz) Matsumura, appears most unlikely. The bluish white flowered species with palmately 3-7-lobed, long petiolate, mostly basal leaves, is otherwise considered as endemic to Japan.
