Diaspore capitula in Hirpicium supports close evolutionary relationship to Gorteria (Asteraceae-Arctotideae)

Among the 17 genera in the southern African tribe Arctotideae (Asteraceae), only the three genera of subtribe Gorteriinae (Cuspidia, Gorteria and Didelta) have capitula that function as diaspores. The feature is reported here also in the genus Hirpicium for the first time. The discovery supports recent phylogenetic studies of the group that Hirpicium integrifolium and H. alienatum are more closely related to Gorteria than to the rest of the Hirpicium species.