Atractylis L.

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 : 211

107. Atractylis L. 1

Annual or rhizomatous perennial herbs. Leaves in a basal rosette, usually also some cauline and alternate, coriaceous, with spiny lobes or teeth. Capitula solitary. Involucre campanulate to subglobose; bracts spiny, imbricate, the outer pectinate-bipinnatisect, the inner entire, scarious and with a slender apical spine. Receptacular bracts laciniate, scarious. Florets all hermaphrodite. Corolla purpleorpurplish-pink, 5-lobed. Achenescylindrical, sericeous to villous. Pappus of 1-3 rows of plumose setae.

All species grow in open, usually dry habitats.

1 Stems absent; involucre 30-70 mm, the middle bracts with

3 patent apical spines much longer than the lateral spines

1. gummifera 1 Stems present; involucre 5-22 mm, the middle bracts with all spines similar

2 Annual;uppercaulineleavesshorterthantoslightlylonger than involucre 4. cancellata 2 Perennial; uppercaulineleavesmuchlongerthaninvolucre

3 Outer involucral bracts not similar to upper cauline leaves

2. tutinii 3 Outer involucral bracts similar to upper cauline leaves

3. humilis