CREPIS MULTIFLORA

Family:- COMPOSITAE/Sect. ZACINTHA

Common Names:- None

Synonyms:- Barkhausia multiflora, Endoptera multiflora.

Meaning:- Crepis (Gr) A name used by Greek philosopher Theophrastus.

Multiflora (L) Mant-flowered.

General description:- Annual

Stems:-

1) 7-35 cm, branched from the base.

Leaves:-

1) Glabrous.

2) Basal 1-5 x 0·5-1 cm, few, oblanceolate, obtuse, dentate or runcinate-pinnatifid,

attenuate at the base.

3) Cauline, lower sessile, amplexicaul, with acute auricles.

4) Cauline, upper lanceolate or linear, acute, entire.

Flowers:-

1) Capitula, many.

2) Involucre, 8-9 x 4-6 mm

3) Bracts, linear-lanceolate, acute, the outer glabrous, c. 1/3 as long as the inner.

4) Bracts, inner with yellowish glandular hairs.

5) Florets, 7-8 mm.

6) Ligules, yellow.

7) Phyllaries, scarcely swollen and indurate in fruit.

Fruit:-

1) Achenes, dark brown,

2) Of 2 kinds, or marginal absent.

3) Marginal if present 3·5-4 mm, more attenuate above than below, unequally

ribbed.

4) Inner 3-3·5 mm, fusiform, strongly attenuate at the apex, 10-ribbed, strigulose or

finely spinulose near apex.

5) Pappus exserted from the involucre.

Key features:-

1) Involucre 8-9 x 4-6 mm.

2) Florets 7-8 mm.

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Habitat:- Coastal areas. dry open shrubby vegetation, cliffs, roadsides and other

dry, open habitats, 0-500(900)m. on various substrates.

Distribution:- Almost restricted to the Aegean area, where it is common and

largely replaces the related C. dioscoridisi just extending to W Anatolia. On Crete

fairly widespread, maily around coastal areas.

Flowering time:- Apr to June.

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