PULICARIA DYSENTERICA subsp. ULIGINOSA

Family:- COMPOSITAE

Common Names:- Common Fleabane

Synonyms:- Inula repens, Pulicaria stevenii, Pulicaria uliginosa.

Meaning:- Pulicaria (L) Fleabane (for a plant that wards off fleas).

Dysenterica (Gr) Of dysentery (medical treatment for).

Uliginosa (L) Marsh, of swamps or marshes.

General description:- Medium, softly-hairy, with runners that take root, perennial.

Stems:-

1) 20-60 cm, erect, lanate or tomentose, freely branched above.

Leaves:-

1) Basal, oblong, narrowed at the base, withered by anthesis.

2) Cauline, cordate-sagittate, semi-amplexicaul, with sessile bases, all with

undulate margins, remotely serrate, green scabrid above, greyish-tomentose

beneath.

Flowers:-

1) Capitula, usually numerous, daisy-like, golden yellow, 15-30 mm, borne in lax-

topped clusters, peduncles 1·5-2.5 cm, not thickened above, without or with 1

bract.

2) Involucral bracts, linear to subulate, more or less lanate and glandular.

3) Ligules c. 5 mm longer than the involucre, patent.

Fruit:-

1) Achenes c. 1·5 mm, hairy.

2) Pappus of scales connate for more than 1/2 their length, surrounding 14-20 hairs.

Key features:-

1) Basal leaves withered at anthesis.

2) Stolons present.

3) Capitula usually numerous.

Click here for a glossary of terms used.

Habitat:- Damp coastal habitats, stream-banks, roadside ditches, damp scrub and

wood-land margins. 0-600(-1200) m.

Distribution:- Widespread and common throughout the Mediterranean. Somewhat

limited distribution on Crete..

Flowering time:- (May-)June-Oct.

Photos by:- Steve Lenton