SPECIES DESCRIPTION
REICHARDIA INTERMEDIA
Family:- COMPOSITAE
Common Names:- None
Synonyms:- Picridium intermedium, Reichardia picroides var. intermedia
Reichardia picroides subsp. intermedia.
Meaning:- Reichardia (L) For, Johann Jacob Reichard a German physician and
botanist at the University of Göttingen. (1743 - 1782)
Intermedia (L) Intermediate, between extremes.
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 0ˇ5-2ˇ5 cm, oblanceolate or linear-lanceolate, obtuse to acute,
entire, pinnatisect with patent lobes, long-attenuate at the base into a winged
petiole.
3) Lower cauline, similar to the basal but sessile, amplexicaul.
4) Upper cauline, smaller and often more or less entire.
Flowers:-
1) Capitula, 1-5, peduncles long, with numerous small, ovate, acuminate bracts
which have a thin, scarious margin.
2) Involucre 10-20 x 8-14 mm, glabrous.
a) outer involucral bracts 4-7 x 2ˇ5-3ˇ5 mm, broadly ovate, with a scarious margin
up to 1ˇ25 mm wide.
b) inner lanceolate, obtuse, usually with a narrow scarious margin.
3) Ligules yellow, the outer usually with a dark stripe on outer face, 1˝-2 times as
long as involucre.
Fruit:-
1) Achenes 2-3 mm.
a) outer 4- to 5-angled, rugose.
b) inner smooth and appearing sterile.
Key features:-
1) Inner achenes not transversely rugose.
2) Ligules yellow at base.
3) Outermost involucral bracts 4-7 x 2ˇ5-3ˇ5 mm, with a scarious margin up to 1ˇ25
mm wide.
Habitat:- Rocky slopes with dry open shrubby vegetation, scrubland vegetation,
mostly in coastal areas. 0-200(-600) m.
Distribution:- In Greece confined to the Aegean area. - Widespread, but scattered
in the Mediterranean region, eastwards to Cyprus and Palestine. Scattered mainly
around the coastal areas of E Crete.
Flowering time:- Late Mar to end of May.
Photos by:- Courtesy of Wiki-Commons
