Tolpis barbata, (L.) Gaertner

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 : 306

1. T. barbata (L.) Gaertner , Fruct. Sem. Pl. 2: 372 (1791).

Somewhat pubescent annual 6-90 cm. Lower leaves 2-10 cm, linear-lanceolate to broadly ovate or obovate, entire to coarsely dentate or subpinnatifid, usually acute; upper cauline leaves similar but smaller. Stem simple or branched, the branches overtopping the main stem. Capitula 1 to several, on thickened peduncles with few to many curved, setaceous supplementary bracts. Involucre 6-15 mm; outer bracts at least as long as inner, setaceous, curved, not appressed; inner linear-lanceolate, erect. Outer achenes with pappus of hairs much shorter than the achene; inner achenes with pappus of short hairs mixed with (0-)2-4(-5) hairs much longer than the achene. 2« = 18. Grassy and sandy places. S. Europe. Az BI Bu Co Cr Ga Gr Hs It Lu?Rm.

Very variable in leaf-shape, size of capitula and colour of florets, as well as in number of long hairs in the pappus. Most commonly the capitula are 17-30 mm in diameter, with the outer florets pale yellow and the inner purplish-brown. A variant ( T. umbellata Bertol. , Rar. Lig. Pl. l: 13 (1803)) has the capitula 11-16 mm in diameter and all the florets pale yellow. There is little correlation between these characters and the number of long hairs in the pappus of the inner achenes, and the variant occurs rather rarely throughout most of the range of the species. In S.W. Spain another variant occurs which has the outer florets deep yellow, the inner purplish and the leaves usually broadly ovate to obovate, obtuse and mucronate. The pappus is sometimes entirely without long hairs and the plant biennial or perennial.