Citation: Merat, Annls Sci. nat. 22:108 ( 1831 ) subsp. taraxacoides.

Synonymy: Hyoseris taraxacoides Villars, Prosp. 33 (1779); L. nudicaulis (L.) Banks ex Schinz & Keller subsp, taraxacoides (Villars) Schinz & Thell., Bull. Herb. Boiss. sér. 2, 7:389 (1907); Thrincia hirta Roth, Catal. bot. 1:98 (1797); L. hirta sensu Ewart, Fl. Vict. 1197 (1931), non L.; T. leysseri Wallr., Sched. Crit. 441 (1822); L. leysseri (Wallr.)Beck, Fl. Nieder-Osterreich 2:1312 (1893).

Common name: Lesser hawkbit, hairy hawkbit.

Description:
Herb 15-35 cm high; leaves narrowly oblanceolate, acute to subacute, 3-17 cm long, 0.5-1.5 cm wide, shallowly sinuate-dentate to pinnatifid, pubescent to strigose, forming a rosette but not closely appressed to the ground.

Scapes 3-35 cm long, unbranched, striate, pubescent to glabrescent; capitulum nodding until mature; involucre 7-11 mm long, 4-9 mm diam., sparsely strigose to glabrous; outer bracts subulate, appressed, c. 1 mm long; inner bracts narrowly lanceolate, acute, thickened near the base, to 11 mm long; ligules 3-7 mm long, the outermost purplish on the lower face.

Outer achenes curved, c. 4 mm long; pappus a jagged scarious crown to 1 mm long; inner achenes more or less straight, c. 5 mm long including a beak 0.5-1 mm; pappus persistent, outer bristles minute, barbellate, inner bristles 10-13, 3-5 mm long, plumose, dilated near the base.

Published illustration: Cunningham et al. (1982) Plants of western New South Wales, p. 715.

Distribution:    W.Aust.; N.S.W.; Vic.; Tas.   Native to Europe. Conservation status: naturalised Flowering time: Aug. — Feb.

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

Biology: A locally common weed resembling Hypochoeris, but with narrower regularly sinuate leaves which are never closely appressed to the ground.

Author: Not yet available