Rumpalis

Rumpalis is a fictional genus of flowering plants created for educational demonstrations of plant taxonomy. In this context, it is placed in the family Asteraceae and currently includes two described species, Rumpalis aurea and Rumpalis nocturna. The name is a Latinized coinage intended to resemble real genus names.

Members are herbaceous perennials reaching 20–60 cm in height. Leaves are alternate, narrowly lanceolate, with slightly serrated margins. Inflorescences are capitula typical of the family, with yellow ray florets surrounding a central cluster of disc florets; fruits are cypselae with a light tuft of pappus hairs for wind dispersal.

Rumpalis is described as endemic to a fictional island chain in the Aurelia archipelago, where it occupies sun-exposed coastal grasslands, rocky outcrops, and scrubby slopes. It is not reported from other regions.

Pollination is largely by native bees and small flies; flowering occurs from late spring to midsummer in the local climate. The plant produces dry seeds dispersed by wind.

The genus is anchored by the type species Rumpalis aurea. In the educational scenario, it was first proposed by botanist A. Veris in a 2020 field guide exercise to illustrate criteria used in genus delimitation, such as leaf arrangement, inflorescence structure, and achene morphology. The genus is used only as a teaching example and has no known herbarium specimens in existing public collections.