Scorzonera undulata, Vahl

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 : 319

5. S. undulata Vahl , Symb. Bot. 2: 86 (1791).

Glabrous or sparsely tomentose perennial 7-30 cm; rootstock vertical, 0-7-1 -5 cm thick, tuberous-incrassate, oblong-cylindrical, not fibrous at apex. Stem solitary, simple or branched near the base, erect. Basal leaves 3-15 x 0-2-0-7 cm, linear to linear-lanceolate, fiat, entire; cauline similar but smaller, amplexicaul. Involucre 15-25 mm. Ligules 1^-2 times as long as involucre, purplish, very rarely white. Achenes c. 12 mm, cylindrical-ellipsoid, with the ribs scabrid or rugose to squamate above, otherwise glabrous, brownish, with a paler, tubular base c. | as long as rest of achene. Pappus-hairs about as long as achene, plumose. Calcareous hills. S. Italy, Sicilia. It Si. (TV. Africa.)

The European plant is subsp. deliciosa (Guss.) Maire , Bull. Soc. Hist. Nat. Afr. Nord 22: 54 (1931), with more or less glabrous leaves and scentless flowers; subsp. undulata has hairy leaves and scented flowers. Plants of both subspecies in N. Africa often have much wider leaves.