Serratala cichoracea, (L.) DC.

Tutin, T. G., Heywood, V. H., Burges, N. A., Moore, D. M., Valentine, D. H., Walters, S. M. & Webb, D. A., 1976, Flora Europaea. Volume 4. Plantaginaceae to Compositae (and Rubiaceae), Cambridge University Press : 251

11. S. cichoracea (L.) DC. , loc. cit. (1838).

Plant up to 70 cm, stout, puberulent. Leaves denticulate, the basal oblanceolate to elliptical, rarely entire, the cauline linear-lanceolate, sometimes long-decurrent on stem, absent from upper part of stem. Capitula 30-40 mm, ventricose, solitary or occasionally a few together. Outer involucral bracts glabrous, shining, with long, rigid apical spine, the spine usually strongly recurved at maturity; inner bracts rather rigid, somewhat geniculate or recurved at apex. Florets purple. Mediterranean region. Cr Hs It Si.

1 Leaf-bases not, or only very slightly, decurrent

(b) subsp. mucronata 1 Leaf-bases clearly decurrent

2 Outer involucral bracts velutinous (a) subsp. cichoracea 2 Outer involucral bracts sparsely ciliate (c) subsp. eretica