Heteracantha

Heteracantha is a genus of flowering plants in the family Asteraceae, native to South America. The genus was first described by the German botanist Carl Friedrich Philipp von Martius in 1835. It is characterized by its unique inflorescence, which is a compound cyme with a central axis and several branches that are themselves cymes. The flowers are typically small and yellow, and the plant has a woody stem with alternate, ovate leaves. Heteracantha species are often used in landscaping and gardening due to their attractive appearance and relatively low maintenance requirements. The genus includes several species, with the most well-known being Heteracantha bracteata, which is native to Brazil.