Athanasia flexuosa inflorescence

The stem-tip inflorescence of Athanasia flexuosa has a corymb shape comprising small yellow flowerheads bearing disc florets. A corymb consists of a cluster of several flowers or flowerheads with lower stalks proportionally longer, resulting in the flowers forming a flat or slightly convex head.

The young corymb in picture shows the yellow beginnings of disc florets opening, still largely enveloped by their green bracts. Many small flowerheads make up the inflorescence, each bearing about three rows of green involucral bracts in a roundish to oblong head around numerous tiny florets.

The plants flower from late winter to early autumn. The photo was taken in August (Bond and Goldblatt, 1984; iNaturalist).