Erect annual herb to 1 m high; stems glabrous or sparsely hairy. Leaves broad-lanceolate to broad-ovate in outline, mostly 6–15 cm long, 2–7 cm wide, usually 3-lobed, sometimes simple or 5-lobed, c. glabrous except for tiny antrorse hairs on margins and veins, margins toothed or shallowly lobed; petiole winged, to c. 4 cm long. Capitula 10–25 mm diam.; outer involucral bracts leaf-like, c. spathulate, to c. 40 mm long, often far exceeding florets; inner bracts lanceolate, 8–12 mm long. Ray florets yellow. Cypselas oblong-cuneate, 4–8 mm long, compressed, ribbed, retrorsely barbed on ribs; pappus of 2–4 awns, 1.5–4 mm long. Flowers autumn and winter.
VRiv, GipP, EGL, EGU, HSF, HNF. Also naturalised NSW. Native to Europe. Naturalised in New Zealand. Uncommon in Victoria, but recorded from a few lowland riparian and swampy habitats in eastern Victoria.
Source:
Jeanes, J.A. (1999). Asteraceae. In: Walsh, N.G.; Entwisle, T.J., Flora of Victoria Vol. 4, Cornaceae to Asteraceae, pp. 652–666. Inkata Press, Melbourne.
