Elephantopus mollis, common names tobacco weed, and soft elephantsfoot, is a tropical species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae.
Elephantopus mollis is native to South America as far south as Jujuy Province in Argentina, as well as the West Indies, Central America, and Mexico as far north as Tamaulipas and Nuevo León.Tropicos, Elephantopus mollis Kunth Cabrera, A. L. 1978. Compositae. 10: 1–726. In A. L. Cabrera (ed.) Flora de la Provincia de Jujuy: Republica Argentina. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria, Buenos AiresJørgensen, P. M., M. H. Nee & S. G. Beck. (eds.) 2014. Catálogo de las plantas vasculares de Bolivia, Monographs in systematic botany from the Missouri Botanical Garden 127(1–2): i–viii, 1–1744.Rzedowski, J. & G. Calderón de Rzedowski. 1995. Familia Compositae. Tribu Vernonieae. 38: 1–49. In J. Rzedowski & G. Calderón de Rzedowski (eds.) Flora del Bajío y Regiones Adyacentes. Instituto de Ecología A.C., PátzcuaroIdárraga-Piedrahita, A., R. D. C. Ortiz, R. Callejas Posada & M. Merello. (eds.) 2011. Flora de Antioquia: Catálogo de las Plantas Vasculares 2: 9–939. Universidad de Antioquia, MedellínCowan, C. P. 1983. Flora de Tabasco. Listados Florísticos de México1: 1–123 It is also naturalized in Australia, south-eastern Asia, some Pacific Islands, and tropical Africa.Atlas of Living AustraliaJeffrey, C. 1988. Notes on Compositae: V. The Vernonieae in East Tropical Africa. Kew Bulletin 43(2): 195–277. The species is considered a noxious weed some places.Queensland Government, Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, Tobacco weed (Elephantopus mollis)Invasive Species Compendium, Elephantopus mollis includes distribution maps
Elephantopus mollis is a coarse perennial herb up to 20 cm (8 inches) tall. Leaves are dark green on the upper side, lighter green on the lower surface, oblanceolate to elliptical, up to 22 cm (9 inches) long. The plant produces arrays of small flower heads, each with only 4 white or pink florets.Flora of the Marquesas, Elephantopus mollis Kunth
Etymology The genus name Elephantopus comes from the Greek words "elephantos" (elephant) and "pous" (foot). The term likely refers to the large basal leaves of some members of the genus.
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