Crepis nicaeënsis

Annuals or biennials, 25–110 cm (taproots shallow). Stems usually 1, erect, branched from middles or distally, densely hispidulous proximally. Leaves basal and cauline; petiolate (petioles winged, bases clasping); blades oblanceolate, runcinate, 16–19 × 2–4 cm, margins pinnately lobed, dentate, or finely denticulate, apices obtuse, faces finely hispidulous (hairs yellowish). Heads 2–15, in corymbiform arrays. Calyculi of 7–9, linear, glabrous or glabrate bractlets 3–6 mm. Involucres campanulate, 8–10 × 4–6 mm. Phyllaries 10–15, lanceolate (strongly tapered), 7–8 mm (bases strongly keeled, partly enclosing marginal cypselae, margins scarious), apices obtuse (ciliate), abaxial faces glabrous or glabrate, adaxial glabrous. Florets 50–60; corollas yellow (sometimes reddish distally), 10–11 mm. Cypselae golden brown, fusiform, 2.5–4 mm, ribs 10 (broad); pappi bright white, 4–5 mm. 2n = 8.

Phenology: Flowering May–Aug.
Habitat: Waste places, meadows
Elevation: 1400–1600 m

Introduced; B.C., Mass., Mich., Ohio, Vt., Wash., Europe

Discussion

Crepis nicaeënsis is distinguished by the annual or biennial habit, shallow root system, hispid stems, and glabrate phyllaries enclosing outer cypselae. It is similar in habit to C. biennis, which differs in its larger heads and 13–20-ribbed cypselae; it is considered closely related to C. capillaris (E. B. Babcock 1947).

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa