Gymnanthemum bockianum (Diels) H. Robinson; Pluchea rubicunda C. K. Schneider; Strobocalyx bockianus (Diels) H. Robinson et al.

Shrubs or small trees, 3-6 m. Branches terete, finely striate, densely gray or yellowish fulvous tomentose. Petiole stout, 12-25 mm, densely gray or yellowish fulvous tomentose; leaf blade oblong-lanceolate or oblong-elliptic, rarely ovate-lanceolate, (8-)12-22 × 3-3.5 cm, membranous or thinly papery, abaxially dark green, rather scabrid, papillose, adaxially gray pubescent and white glandular, lateral veins 10-13-paired, adaxially prominent, veinlets reticulate, margin obscurely repand-denticulate, repand, or subentire, apex acuminate or long acuminate, mucronulate. Synflorescences terminal, panicles lax, flat-topped, 10-20 cm wide, lower branches subtended by well-developed leaves. Capitula many, 6-8 mm in diam.; peduncle 5-10 mm, gray tomentose. Involucre subglobose or hemispheric, 4-6 × 4-6 mm; phyllaries 5-seriate, dark brown or purplish red, leathery, ovate-oblong or oblong-obovate, rarely spatulate, white sericeous, apex obtuse, thickened mucronate, outer short, inner 4-5 × ca. 1.5 mm. Receptacle rather convex, foveolate. Florets 8-12; corolla reddish purple, tubular, ca. 7 mm, glandular; lobes linear-lanceolate, glandular. Achenes yellowish fulvous, subcylindric, 3.5-4 mm, 3-ribbed adaxially, glabrous or subglabrous, glandular. Pappus 2-seriate, white; outer setae short; inner setae as long as corolla, scabrid. Fl. Jul-Nov.

Material of Vernonia bockiana has been incorrectly identified as V. arborea or V. esculenta in several herbaria.

● Open places on slopes, thickets, forest margins; 500-1300 m. Chongqing, Guizhou, Sichuan, Yunnan.