REICHARDIA PICROIDES

Family:- COMPOSITAE

Common Names:- None

Synonyms:- Reichardia picroides subsp. eu-picroides, Scorzonera picroides,

Sonchus picroides.

Meaning:- Reichardia (L) For, Johann Jacob Reichard a German physician and

botanist at the University of Göttingen. (1743 - 1782)

Picroides (L) Bitter.

General description:- A low to short, hairless annual to perennial.

Stems:-

1) 10-45 cm.

Leaves:-

1) Smooth or more or less papillose.

2) Basal, 2-13 x 0·5-2·5 cm, oblanceolate or linear-lanceolate, obtuse to acute,

entire to pinnatisect with patent lobes, long-attenuate at the base into a

winged petiole.

3) Lower cauline, similar to the basal, but sessile, amplexicaul, the upper smaller

and often more or less entire.

Flowers:-

1) Capitula 1-5.

2) Peduncles long, with numerous small, ovate, acuminate bracts which have a

scarious margin.

3) Involucre, 10-20 x 8-14 mm, glabrous.

4) Outermost bracts, 3-5 x 1·5-2·5 mm, ovate, with a scarious margin up to 0·5 mm

wide, the inner lanceolate, obtuse, usually with a narrow scarious margin.

5) Ligules yellow, the outer usually with a dark stripe on outer face, 1½-2 times as

long as the involucre.

Fruit:-

1) Achenes 2-3 mm, the outer 4- to 5-angled, transversely rugose, the inner smooth

and appearing sterile.

Key features:-

1) Inner achenes not transversely rugose.

2) Ligules yellow at the base.

3) Outermost involucral bracts 3-5 x 1·5-2·5 mm, with a scarious margin not more

than 0·5 mm wide.

Click here for a glossary of terms used.

Habitat:- Rocky and gravelly coastal habitats, open dry shrubby vegetation, fallow

fields, olive groves and wasteground, usually near the sea at 0-300 m. occasionally

to 1200 m.

Distribution:- Widespread and common throughout the Mediterranean. Widespread

and common on Crete.

Flowering time:- Mid-Mar to early July.

Photos by:- Steve Lenton