Anthemis cotula, 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 : 155

39. A. cotula L. , Sp. Pl. 894 (1753).

Fetid annual (7-)2O-50(-70) cm, thinly tomentose to glabrescent. Stems corymbosely branched above. Leaves 1 - 5-6- 5 x 0-5-3 cm, ovate or ovateoblong in outline, irregularly 2- to 3-pinnatisect, the lobes narrowly linear, acuminate, with hyaline mucro, sparsely hairy, sometimes fleshy. Capitula 12-30 mm in diameter; peduncles (2-5—)6—15 cm, not davate. Involucre hemispherical; bracts more or less oblong, acute to obtuse, with pale brown, scarious margin. Receptacle 5-8 x 1 - 5-3 mm, narrowly conical, without scales in the lower half; scales linear-subulate, shorter than to equalling the florets. Ligules 5-14 mm, sterile, sometimes absent. Achenes (1 -)l-3-1-8 mm, turbinate, slightly constricted at the apex, 8- to 11 -ribbed, the ribs tuberculate or verruculose; pappus absent. 2л = 18. Waste places and disturbed ground. Most of Europe northwards to England and S. Finland; casual further north. All except Fa Is Rs (N) Sb; not native in Fe.

A. pseudocotula Boiss. , Diagn. Pl. Or. Nov. 1(6): 86 (1846) has been doubtfully recorded from Karpathos. It is like 39 but has the peduncles davate in fruit and the outer achenes persistent and with an auricle up to i as long as the achene. A. bourgaei Boiss. & Reuter , Pugillus 56 (1852) appears to be known only from the original collection from S.W. Spain. It is characterized by the receptacle with scales throughout and the strongly tuberculate, turbinate achenes which are only 1 mm long.