Campuloclinium macrocephalum
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Photo: Dan Lee
Murehwa
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| Synonyms: |
Conoclinium macrocephalum (Less.) DC. ex B.L.Turner Eupatorium macrocephalum Less. |
| Common names: | Pompom weed (English) |
| Frequency: | |
| Status: | Introduced and naturalized. |
| Description: |
Perennial herb with erect annual stems to 1.3 m tall; stems and leaves covered in rough, bristly hairs. Leaves in dense basal rosettes, pale green, lanceolate-elliptic, up to 8 × 2 cm; margins serrate. Leaves along the stem smaller but similar. Flower heads subtended by lanceolate, purplish bracts, c 8 mm long. Flowers large, pink and showy, exceeding the bracts by 6–8 mm. Mature achenes are black and 5 mm long with a pappus of simple bristles. The dense basal rosettes of leaves often suppress the germination and growth of other species, at the same time producing allelochemicals which adversely affect the growth of neighbouring plants. Plants dies back annually to the root crown, and may thus survive veldfires over the winter period. |
| Type location: |
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| Notes: | This species is considered highly invasive in South Africa where it has become abundantly common in grasslands at medium and higher altitudes in the north-eastern provinces. It has been found very difficult to eradicate or even control. In zimbabwe it was unknown to occur until very recently, when a confirmed record of this plant appeared on iNaturalist from the Murehwa area. See iNaturalist record |
| Derivation of specific name: | macrocephalum: with large heads. |
| Habitat: | In grassland. |
| Altitude range: (metres) | 1550 - 1580 m |
| Flowering time: | |
| Worldwide distribution: | Native to tropical Central and South America. Introduced in South Africa and, more recently in Zimbabwe. |
| FZ divisions: | C |
| Growth form(s): | |
| Endemic status: | |
| Red data list status: | |
| Insects associated with this species: | |
| Spot characters: | Display spot characters for this species |
| Images last updated: | Wednesday 28 January 2026 |
| Literature: |
Bromilow, C. (2010). Problem Plants and Alien Weeds of South Africa Briza Publications, South Africa Page 219. (Includes a picture). Calvo, J. and Roque, N. (2018). Taxonomic Revision of the Neotropical Genus Campuloclinium (Eupatorieae, Compositae). Systematic Botany 43(2) Pages 613 - 617. Henderson, L. (2001). Alien weeds and invasive plants Plant Protection Research Institute Handbook No. 12. Plant Protection Research Institute, Agricultural Research Council, South Africa. Page 43. (Includes a picture). Van Wyk, B. & Malan, S. (1988). Field Guide to the Wild Flowers of the Witwatersrand and Pretoria Region Struik, Cape Town Page 195. (Includes a picture). Wadley, L., Willemse, L., Baytopp, B., Swart, J., Heymans, J., Tarboton, W. & Tarboton, M. (2021). Wildflowers of the Waterberg Page 248. (Includes a picture). |
Other sources of information about Campuloclinium macrocephalum:
External websites:
African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg): Campuloclinium macrocephalumAfrican Plant Database: Campuloclinium macrocephalum
BHL (Biodiversity Heritage Library): Campuloclinium macrocephalum
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Campuloclinium macrocephalum
GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility): Campuloclinium macrocephalum
Google: Web - Images - Scholar
iNaturalist: Campuloclinium macrocephalum
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Campuloclinium macrocephalum
JSTOR Plant Science: Campuloclinium macrocephalum
Mansfeld World Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops: Campuloclinium macrocephalum
Plants of the World Online: Campuloclinium macrocephalum
Tropicos: Campuloclinium macrocephalum
Wikipedia: Campuloclinium macrocephalum