SPECIES DESCRIPTION
HYPOCHAERIS CRETENSIS
Family:- COMPOSITAE
Common Names:- Southern catsear
Synonyms:- Hypochaeris urens
Meaning:- Hypochaeris (Gr) A name used by the Greek philosopher
Theophrastus.
Cretensis (L) Of Crete, Cretan.
General description:- Perennial.
Stems:-
1) 10-85 cm, usually branched, somewhat thickened below the apex, glabrous to
tomentose sometimes hirsute below.
Leaves:-
1) 5-25 cm, spatula-shaped, elliptical or oblanceolate, pinnatifid, rarely dentate
setose-hispid.
2) Cauline, several, gradually merging into scales above.
Flowers:-
1) Capitula, up to 22 mm wide.
2) Involucral bracts, up to 15 x 1·5 mm, in several rows, subglabrous, tomentose,
or the keel setose-hispid.
3) Ligules yellow.
Fruit:-
1) Achenes, marginal 5·5-6 mm, beaked, with the pappus a corona of rather broad
fimbriate scales c. 0·15 mm or of 1 row of long, plumose hairs.
2) Achenes, inner 7·5-10 mm, long-beaked, with pappus of 1 row of plumose hairs
5-6 mm, not dilated at the base.
Key features:-
1) Capitula up to 25 mm wide.
2) Involucral bracts up to 15 mm.
3) Pappus of hairs 4-6 mm or of scales 0·15 mm.
4) Stems with at least one ± large foliage leaf.
5) Marginal achenes 5·5-6 mm, with pappus of fimbriate scales c.0·15 mm or of
hairs; inner achenes 7·5-10 mm, with pappus of hairs.
Habitat:- Coastal habitats, pastures, orchards, open dry shrubby vegetation and
open woodland. 0-1100 m.
Distribution:- Common throughout mainland Greece except the far NE. Also
recorded from the Ionian Islands. - Italy and the Balkan Peninsula. Somewhat
restricted distribution across Crete mainly to the west.
Flowering time:- Apr-June
Photos by:- Fotis Samaritakis
