REICHARDIA PICROIDES

Family and Genus:- See- COMPOSITAE

Common Names:- None

Homotypic 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.

a) 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.

b) 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.

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

mm, wide,

b) inner bracts, 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