Helminthotheca echioides

Annual to perennial herb 30–100 cm high. Basal leaves elliptic to oblanceolate, 3.5–35 cm long, 1–10 cm wide, obtuse to acute, base narrowed into winged petiole, margins sinuate to dentate; lower cauline leaves similar but bases subamplexi-caul; upper cauline leaves smaller, ovate to lanceolate, amplexicaul. Capitula commonly in umbel-like clusters; peduncles 2–6 cm long; involucral bracts ovate-cordate to narrow-lanceolate, 5–22 mm long. Ligules 12–17 mm long, slightly exceeding involucre, yellow, sometimes externally red-striped. Cypselas 5–7 mm long, beak c. as long as body, outer ones whitish and curved, inner ones reddish-brown and straight; pappus of many delicate plumose bristles, 4–7 mm long. Flowers most of the year.