Lapsana communis L.
nipplewort
Annual herb. Stems erect, branched above, finely ribbed, with fine crisped eglandular hairs especially below, 15-100-(150) cm tall. Lvs glabrous or sparsely to densely hairy; margins ciliate. Rosette and lower stem lvs petiolate, lyrate-pinnatifid; terminal lobe large, broadly ovate to deltoid to orbicular, bluntly dentate, (1.5)-3-8 × (1.5)-3-8 cm; lateral lobes in (0)-1-3 pairs, the distal pair = or < width of terminal lobe, the proximal pairs successively smaller, all dentate. Upper lvs undivided, becoming sessile, linear-lanceolate to ovate, sharply dentate to serrate, smaller than lower lvs. Capitula in diffuse corymbose panicles; peduncles > 2× length of involucre. Involucre 5-8 mm long; bracts glabrous except for ciliate apex, strongly veined or keeled, erecto-patent; outer bracts 1-1.5 mm long. Florets few, c. 1.5× length of involucre; corolla yellow; tube < ligule. Achenes fusiform, glabrous, pale, c. 20-ribbed, 3-5 mm long; pappus 0.
N.: Northland, Auckland, Bay of Plenty, Urewera National Park, Waikato, Volcanic Plateau, Manawatu, Wellington; S.: Nelson, Marlborough, Canterbury, Otago; St.: Halfmoon Bay; K.
Eurasia, N. Africa 1869
Roadsides, tracksides, forest margins and under introduced trees, waste land, cultivated land.
L. communis is similar in habit to Mycelis muralis, but differs in having hairy stems and lvs, terminal lf lobe not ternatifid, involucral bracts keeled, and pale achenes without beak or pappus. Senecio wairauensis may appear similar, but it has watery juice, a pappus, and papillate achenes.
