Launaea Cass.

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 : 326

164. Launaea Cass. 1

( Zollikoferia DC. , non Nees, Microrhynchus Less. )

Biennial or perennial herbs or spiny dwarf shrubs. Stems solitary or few, freely and dichotomously branched. Leaves mostly basal. Capitula few to numerous. Involucral bracts in several rows, imbricate, with scarious margins. Receptacle without scales. All florets hermaphrodite. Ligules yellow, often with an olive stripe. Achenes cylindrical or slightly compressed, ribbed, not beaked; pappus of several rows of simple hairs.

L. mucronata (Forskâl) Muschler , Man. FI. Egypt 2: 1057 (1912), native of Egypt and W. Asia, has been doubtfully recorded from Macedonia.

1 Spiny dwarf shrub

2 Apex of stock and axils of leaves lanate 5. lanifera 2 Apex of stock and axils of leaves not lanate

3 Plant not more than 20 cm, intricately branched; capitula on

long peduncles arising laterally from the branches

4. cervicomis 3 Plant at least 20 cm, not intricately branched; capitula very

shortly pedunculate, usually terminal 6. arborescens 1 Unarmed herb

4 Involucre more than 10 mm wide; bracts 2-5-3-5 mm wide,

with narrow scarious margins 3. puntila 4 Involucre less than 10 mm wide; bracts 1*5-3 mm wide, with

wide scarious margins

5 Achenes 3-4 mm; leaf-margins white-spinulose 2. nudicaulis 5 Achenes 5-7 mm; leaf-margins not spinulose 1. resedifolia