Citation: L., Sp. Pl. 792 (1753).

Synonymy: Helmintia echioides (L.)Gaertner, Fruct. 2:368 (1791); Helminthotheca echioides (L.) Holub, Folia Geobot. Phytotax. 8:176 (1973).

Common name: Ox-tongue.

Description:
Annual or biennial 30-100 cm high, with stiff tubercle-based hairs often developed into short spines and finer hairs with 3- or 4-hooked apices; stems erect, sparsely branched, hispid; basal leaves elliptic to oblanceolate, narrowed at the base, 3-20 cm long, 1.5-6 cm wide, entire to shallowly sinuate-dentate, sometimes forming a rosette, more often few and soon withering; cauline leaves lanceolate to elliptic, amplexicaul with rounded auricles, acute, decreasing in size up the stem.

Capitula in umbel-like clusters forming a divaricate panicle; peduncles 2-6 cm long; involucre 10-15 mm long, 2-seriate; outer bracts 5, ovate-cordate, acuminate, with pectinate margins; inner bracts c. 8, somewhat longer, narrowly lanceolate, long-acuminate, hispid.

Achene body c. 3 mm long, ellipsoid, hardly ribbed, red-brown; beak capillary, c. 3 mm long; pappus bristles white, delicate, mostly 4-5 mm long.

Published illustration: Cunningham et al. (1982) Plants of western New South Wales, p. 717.

Distribution:  Weed of roadsides, gardens and waste land.   N.S.W.; Vic.; Tas.   Native to Europe. Conservation status: naturalised Flowering time: most of the year.

SA Distribution Map based on current data relating to specimens held in the State Herbarium of South Australia

Biology: No text

Author: Not yet available