PICRIS PAUCIFLORA

Family:- COMPOSITAE/Sect. PICRIS

Common Names:- None

Synonyms:- Picris hieracioides subsp. hieracioides.

Meaning:- Picris (Gr) Bitter. A name used by the Greek philosopher Theophrastus

for a bitter

Pauciflora (L) With few flowers.

General description:- Annual.

Stems:-

1) 10-50 cm, with numerous unequal, rigid hairs.

Leaves:-

1) With few to numerous, more or less rigid hairs.

3) Basal, 30-120 x 5-15 mm. narrowly elliptical, oblong-elliptical or oblanceolate,

entire to sinuate-dentate, narrowed into a petiole.

4) Lower cauline, similar to the basal.

5) Upper smaller, narrower, sessile, sometimes semi-amplexicaul.

Flowers:-

1) Capitula, few.

2) Peduncles, long, slightly thickened after anthesis.

3) Involucre, 10-12 x 7-10 mm.

4) Bracts, linear-lanceolate to lanceolate, mostly acute, with short stellate and

longer rigid hairs mainly on the median line.

5) Outer bracts, patent, up to half as long as the inner.

Fruit:-

1) Achenes, 4·5-5 mm. dark brown, more or less curved, strongly transversely

muricate. shortly beaked.

Key features:-

1) Achenes narrowed at the apex or shortly beaked: more or less curved, strongly

transversely muricate.

2) Peduncles often thickened after anthesis.

Click here for a glossary of terms used.

Habitat:- Fallow fields, olive groves, vineyards, dry grassland, coastal habitats. 0-

600 (-1000) m.

Distribution:- Scattered throughout Greece. - Mediterranean region, mostly in the

east, extending to S Anatolia, Cyprus and Egypt. Somewhat limited distribution

across Crete, lacking in the central region.

Flowering time:- May-July, occasionally later in wet places.

Photos by:- Christopher Cheiladakis