Global description
Aspilia kotschyi is an erect, hispid plant with simple, opposite and sessile leaves. The flowers are assembled in terminal capitules, of purple red color, inserted in a bouquet of small leaves.
Cotyledons
The cotyledons are oblong, rounded at the end. They are located 3 to 5 cm above the ground. They are borne by a petiole 5 mm long. The blade is 20 mm long and 5 mm wide. Both sides are pubescent.
First leaves
The first leaves are simple and opposite. They are sessile or appear petiolate by narrowing of the petiole-shaped limb base. They are linear to lanceolate, with an acute apex. The margin is entire and both sides are hispid.
General habit
The plant is erect and composed of a main axis, more or less branched. It is 30 to 120 cm tall, depending on soil moisture and fertility conditions.
Underground system
A taproot.
Stem
The stem is cylindrical and solid. It is strongly hispid; the hairs have purplish warts at their base.
Leaf
The leaves are simple and opposite. They are sessile. The blade is lanceolate, attenuated in acutely cunate at the top and at the base. The margin is toothed. Both sides are covered with stiff, tubercle-based hairs. They are 8 to 15 cm long and 1.5 to 3 cm wide.
Inflorescence
The flowers are assembled in terminal capitules, subsessile, surrounded by a bouquet of leaves. The capitulum, 2.5 cm in diameter, is surrounded by an involucre of lanceolate, hispid bracts, arranged in 2 or 3 rows.
Flower
In the center of the capitulum are tubular flowers, bisexual, fertile, whose corolla tube is white at the base and purple red at the top. On the periphery are ligulate, sterile flowers. The ligule is orbicular in shape, with two short teeth. The ligulate flowers are purple red.
Fruit
The fruits are oblong achenes, flattened laterally, in two convex faces. They are 6 to 7 mm long. The faces are densely pubescent. At the base are two white, triangular scales. The summit is surmounted by two spines, 3 mm long, which meet at their base forming a small cup.