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Brazilian cat's ear, Tweedy's cat's ear

smallhead cat's ear

Habit Biennials or perennials, 30–70 cm; taproots vertical, deep, thick, caudices stout.
Stems

(1–5) erect or ascending, simple or sparingly branched distally, glabrous or pilose proximally.

Leaves

basal and proximally cauline;

basal blades elliptic to oblanceolate, 60–200 × 10–50 mm, margins coarsely and sharply dentate or 2-dentate, ciliate, faces glabrous or coarsely hirsute (cauline sessile, blades lanceolate, 50–100 × 10–30 mm, margins sharply dentate or pinnatifid; distal reduced, entire).

Involucres

broadly campanulate, 10–20 × 5–20 mm.

Florets

50–100+;

corollas yellow, 5–7 mm, equaling phyllaries at flowering.

Phyllaries

20–30, linear-lanceolate, 4–15 mm, unequal, ± hirsute (at least medially).

Heads

1–10, in loose, paniculiform to corymbiform arrays.

Cypselae

monomorphic, all beaked;

bodies golden brown, fusiform, 8–10 mm, muricate, ribs 4–5;

pappi of white, plumose bristles in 1 series, 6–8 mm.

2n

= 8, 10.

Hypochaeris chillensis

Hypochaeris microcephala

Phenology Flowering Apr.
Habitat Waste areas with sandy soil, roadsides, lawns
Elevation 0–100 m (0–300 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
AL; FL; GA; LA; MS; NC; SC; TX; South America [Introduced in North America]
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
LA; OK; TX; South America
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Hypochaeris chillensis is recognized by the sharply dentate or pinnatifid cauline leaves, yellow corollas, and monomorphic, beaked cypselae. Plants in the flora area differ from those found elsewhere mainly in having the outer phyllaries somewhat more hirsute medially.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Varieties 2 (1 in the flora).

Hypochaeris microcephala is distinguished by the perennial habit, presence of cauline leaves, relatively small heads, and white corollas. It is most similar to H. chillensis; it usually has smaller heads with fewer florets and glabrous phyllaries.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Source FNA vol. 19, p. 298. FNA vol. 19, p. 299.
Parent taxa Asteraceae > tribe Cichorieae > Hypochaeris Asteraceae > tribe Cichorieae > Hypochaeris
Sibling taxa
H. glabra, H. microcephala, H. radicata
H. chillensis, H. glabra, H. radicata
Subordinate taxa
H. microcephala var. albiflora
Synonyms Apargia chillensis, Achyrophorus chillensis, H. brasiliensis, Porcellites brasiliensis Achyrophorus microcephalus
Name authority (Kunth) Britton: Bull. Torrey Bot. Club 19: 371. (1892) (Schultz-Bipontinus) Cabrera: Notas Mus. La Plata, Bot. 2: 200. (1937)
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