Common name: White Flatweed
Hypochaeris albiflora (Kuntze) Azevedo-Gonc. & Matzenb. APNI* Synonyms: Hypochaeris microcephala (Sch.Bip.) Cabrera APNI*
Hypochaeris microcephala var. albiflora (Kuntze) Cabrera APNI*
Hypochaeris microcephala (Sch.Bip.) Cabrera APNI*
Description: Perennials to c. 0.4 m high, with spreading hairs on stems and leaves.
Basal leaves undivided or with antrorse or retrorse lobes, 5–15 cm long, 15–30 mm wide with a broad wing petiole-like base; cauline leaves 2 or 3 mostly linear to narrow-linear, reducing to bracts upwards, sessile.
Flower heads few to several, transiently cobwebby; involucre 8–12 mm long, lengthening in fruit by 50–80%; bracts smooth, outer row lanceolate, c. 3 mm long; palae 15 mm long and slightly shorter than inner bracts. Florets with ligule 2–3 mm long, white or cream.
Achenes all similar 6–10 mm long, beak shorter than body, body narrow-obloid, 4–7 mm long with transverse ribs. Pappus of plumose bristles in one row, 5–8 mm long, pale, yellow-brown and white distally.
Flowering: Late winter to summer.
Distribution and occurrence: A native of South America. Naturalised in eastern Australia from Maryborough in SE Qld to south of the Sydney region. Grows mostly in disturbed sites, in various soils, in urban environments or in grassland, woodland or forest.
NSW subdivisions: *NC, *CC, *NT, *NWP
Other Australian states: *Qld
Text by Louisa Murray
Taxon concept: Thompson, I.R. (2015) Flora of Australia. Vol 37: 139
APNI* Provides a link to the Australian Plant Name Index (hosted by the Australian National Botanic Gardens) for comprehensive bibliographic data
***The AVH map option provides a detailed interactive Australia wide distribution map drawn from collections held by all major Australian herbaria participating in the Australian Virtual Herbarium project.
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