Lapsana communis subsp. communis
NipplewortAnnual or biennial, to 125 cm high; stem glabrous or with short crisped hairs. Basal leaves petiolate, oblanceolate, to 16 cm long and 7 cm wide, toothed to lyrate-pinnatifid, with a large obtuse terminal lobe and small lateral lobes, pubescent to scabrous; cauline leaves smaller, ovate to lanceolate, toothed to entire, lower ones petiolate, upper ones subsessile. Capitula rather few; involucre 5–8 mm long; outer bracts 3–6, to 1 mm long; inner bracts 6–10, keeled, slightly incurved, green, glabrous. Florets 5–20, pale yellow; ligule 5–10 mm long. Cypselas 3–5 mm long, outer ones longer than inner, c. 20-ribbed, pale brown. Flowers mainly Dec.–Mar.
Wim, VVP, GipP, Gold, CVU, HSF, HNF, Strz, MonT. Also naturalised SA, Qld, NSW, Tas. A widespread weed of cooler parts of central and southern Victoria, usually on roadsides, cultivated land and other disturbed sites.
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.
Spinning
