Taxonomy

Reichardia tingitana (L.) Roth, A.W. Roth, Bot. Abh. Beobacht. 1787

Common synonyms

Picridium arabicum Hochst. & Steud.; Picridium arabicum Hochst. & Steud. ex DC.; Picridium discolor Pomel; Picridium hispanicum (Jacq.) Poir.; Picridium orientale (L.) DC.; Picridium orientale (L.) Desf.; Picridium pinnatifidum Lag.; Picridium saharae Pomel; Picridium tingitanum (L.) DC.; Picridium tingitanum (L.) Desf.; Picridium tingitanum subsp. discolor (Pomel) Batt.; Picridium tingitanum subsp. tingitanum; Picridium tingitanum var. diversifolium DC.; Picridium tingitanum var. hispanicum (Jacq.) Kunze; Picridium tingitanum var. maritimum Ball; Picridium tingitanum var. maroccanum Ball; Picridium tingitanum var. minus Boiss.; Picridium tingitanum var. saharae (Pomel) Batt.; Picridium tingitanum var. subacaule Willk.; Picridium tingitanum var. tingitanum; Picridium vulgare subsp. maritimum (Ball) Batt.; Picridium vulgare var. serioides Maire; Reichardia arabica (Hochst. & Steud. ex DC.) Fiori; Reichardia discolor (Pomel) Sennen; Reichardia orientalis (L.) Hochr.; Reichardia runcinata Moench; Reichardia tingitana (L.) Pau; Reichardia tingitana subsp. discolor (Pomel) Batt.; Reichardia tingitana subsp. discolor (Pomel) Maire; Reichardia tingitana subsp. orientalis (L.) Maire; Reichardia tingitana var. arabica (Hochst. & Steud. ex DC.) Asch. & Schweinf.; Reichardia tingitana var. arabica (Hochst.) Asch. & Schweinf.; Reichardia tingitana var. mauritii Sennen; Reichardia tingitana var. orientalis (L.) Asch. & Schweinf.; Reichardia tingitana var. orientalis (L.) Pamp.; Reichardia tingitana var. pinnatifida (Lag.) Pau & Font Quer; Scorzonera glauca Salisb.; Scorzonera orientalis L.; Scorzonera tingitana L.; Sonchus hispanicus Jacq.; Sonchus hispidulus Bové; Sonchus hispidulus Bové ex DC.; Sonchus pinnatifidus Lag.; Sonchus pinnatifidus Lag. ex DC.; Sonchus tingitanus (L.) Lam.

Common name

False sowthistle

Description

Propagule or dispersal unit is the fruit with pappus. Fertile part (1.5-)2-3(-4) mm long, 0.6-1.1 mm wide, in side view widest in upper part (obovoid) or widest in the middle, +/- straight, rarely conspicuously curved, the upper (apical) end narrowing, in cross-section angular (prismatic), basal scar (carpopodium) inconspicuous and undifferentiated, off to the side (oblique) or at least asymmetric, beak (=thinner sterile stalk between seed and pappus) absent, wings absent, fruit surface light brown or straw, with round protrusions or bumps, with no hairs (glabrous), thickened margin absent, longitudinal ribs present, 4, their surfaces bumpy or notched, with no hairs (glabrous).

Pappus type bristles / hairs, pappus elements all +/- similar, up to 7-10.5 mm long, in several rows, pappus elements numerous, falling off as a whole, the individual bristles smooth or rough / serrated (barbellate), +/- equal width along length, white / translucent.

Ecology

Annual herb, seeds wind-dispersed. Warm-temperate to subtropical regions. Weed of river flats, coastal dunes, roadsides and disturbed sites, even in conservation areas.