Lapsana communis
Lapsana
common nipplewort, nipplewort
nipplewort
1, erect, simple or branched, glabrate to sparsely or densely pilose, hairs often stipitate-glandular.
blades 1–15(–30) × 1–7(–10) cm.
basal and cauline (not in rosettes); narrowly winged-petiolate;
blades ovate to suborbiculate (thin), margins entire, dentate, or lyrate-pinnatifid proximally (terminal lobes larger than laterals, faces glabrate to sparsely hirsute; distal sessile, lanceolate, reduced).
(slender) slightly inflated distally, ebracteate.
5–10 × 3–4 mm.
cylindric to campanulate, 2–5 mm diam.
flat, smooth, glabrous, epaleate.
8–15;
corollas yellow.
7–10 mm.
3–9 mm.
8–10 in 1 series, linear-oblong, subequal, (strongly keeled) margins green, not scarious, apices acute, faces glabrous.
bractlets keeled in fruit, 0.5–1 mm.
of 4–5 subulate or scalelike, glabrous bractlets.
5–25(–100+).
in open, corymbiform to thyrsiform arrays.
3–5 mm.
dimorphic (outer much longer than inner), tan to golden brown, subcylindric, curved, terete to slightly compressed, not beaked, ± 20-ribbed, glabrous;
pappi 0.
= 7.
= 12, 14, 16.
Lapsana communis
Lapsana
Lapsana communis is widely distributed in North America. It is easily recognized by the abruptly constricted lyrate leaves with relatively large terminal lobes, heads of relatively small flowers with yellow corollas, keeled phyllaries, and epappose cypselae. It is aggressively weedy and often found in shady disturbed sites. The milky juice of L. communis is said to be soothing to sensitive skin, particularly on the nipples of nursing mothers.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Species 1.
Lapsana formerly included about 9 species, some from eastern Asia. Based on cladistic analysis of morphologic characters, the eastern Asian species have been removed to Lapasanastrum, a strongly supported monophyletic group characterized by spreading phyllaries and distinctive fruit anatomy (J. H. Pak and K. Bremer 1995).
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
- Local floras:
BC, 
CA, 
OR, 
WA - Local Web sites: CalFlora, CalPhotos,
Flora NW, 
Go Botany, 
IL Wildflowers, 
MD Biodiversity, 
MI Flora, 
MO Plants, 
PNW Herbaria, Turner Photog. 
WildflowerSearch
iNaturalist (observations)
USDA Plants Database- LBJ Wildflower Center
- SEINet
- Plants of the World Online
- Encyclopedia of Life
- Wikipedia
- Google Image Search
