Asteraceae

Hypochaeris radicata

Common Names: Catsear

Plant Form: Perennial rosette herb. Size: 15-80 cm tall. Stem: Light green, slender, pithy, exudes a milky sap when cut. Leaves: Lance shaped with irregular lobes or toothed edges. Generally in flat rosette. Usually very hairy. Flowers: Solitary dandelion like, on long branched stems, round with many yellow straplike petals. Fruit and Seeds: Orange-brown 4-7 mm long 1 seeded fruit with a long slender beak and in globular grouping with parachuiting hairs. Habitat: Pastures, gardens, lawns, paddocks, roadsides, waste areas. Distinguishing Features: More hairy leaves than Hypochaeris glabra, branched flower stalk compared to single in Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale). Impacts: Outcompetes and replaces native species, nuisance in lawns, possibly toxic to horses in high doses.