Gynoxys buxifolia (Tucshi)
Native to the Andes of Colombia, Ecuador and Peru, this shrub or small tree grows in high mountain forests, ravines and scrub, including the pƔramo. Opposite branches create an irregular crown. Oblong to elliptical leaves are dark green and glossy above, with pale, softly hairy undersides that give the foliage a whitish appearance. Branched clusters carry bright yellow flower heads, each combining narrow outer ray flowers with tubular disk flowers. Small brown fruits develop with a pale tuft of bristles. Its leaves have been used as forage for sheep and guinea pigs. Photographed in Ecuador.