Hypochaeris microcephala
Hypochaeris glabra
smallhead cat's ear
smooth cat's-ear
(1–30), sparingly branched at midstem or distally (lateral branches often short, minutely bracteate or naked), glabrous.
usually all basal;
blades oblanceolate to oblong, 20–110 × 5–30 mm, margins nearly entire to dentate or pinnatifid, faces usually glabrous or glabrate, sometimes hirsute on veins.
narrowly campanulate, 8–16 × (3–)5–20 mm.
20–40;
corollas white to yellowish, 5–8 mm, ± equaling phyllaries at flowering.
18–20, lanceolate, 3–18 mm, unequal, margins scarious, faces glabrous (apices brownish or reddish, sometimes ciliate).
borne singly or 2–3 in loose, cymiform arrays (terminating branches, not showy).
dimorphic, outer cylindric, stout, truncate, inner fusiform, slender, beaked;
bodies dark brown, 10-nerved, 8–10 mm, beaks 3–4 mm;
pappi of tawny bristles in 2 series, outer barbellate, shorter than plumose inner, longest 9–10 mm.
= 8, 10, 12.
Hypochaeris microcephala
Hypochaeris glabra
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.)
Hypochaeris glabra is usually distinguishable by its annual habit and relatively small size, slender and shallow roots, fine stems, often glabrous leaves, and beakless, truncate outer cypselae. Occasional specimens are larger and have induments characteristics of H. radicata; they can be distinguished by the dimorphic cypselae.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
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