Eclipta, False-Daisy, Yerba-de-Tajo

Eclipta prostrata

ee-CLIPT-ah pros-TRAY-tah

Asteraceae

Native to: Florida native

Florida abundance and distribution: Marshes, moist disturbed sites, irrigated landscape areas

Recognition: To 2’ tall, rooting at the nodes, with opposite, hairy, lanceolate to linear leaves with serrate or entire margins.  Flower heads stalked with numerous white ray flowers and tiny disk flowers.

Easily confused species:  Oakleaf Fleabane (in this guide) likewise has numerous white ray flowers but the leaves are alternate and lobed (vs. opposite and mostly lanceolate).

Other: “Eclipta” comes from Greek for “deficient,” in reference to the absence of a pappus.

Contributed by: June Wilkinson