Chondrilla juncea L.

Biennial to perennial rosette herb. Stem erect, openly branching above, finely ribbed, with felted tomentum and spreading stiff hairs at the base, glabrous above, 50–80 cm tall. Lvs with scattered fine crisped hairs. Rosette lvs petiolate, oblanceolate to linear, runcinate-pinnatifid, 5–10 × 0.5–2 cm; lobes triangular, acute, distantly finely toothed. Stem lvs sessile, linear, ± entire, c. 3–6 × c. 0.2 cm. Capitula sessile, solitary or in clusters of 2–3. Involucre 9–11 mm long; bracts pubescent to tomentose, erect at flowering, erecto-patent to spreading at fruiting. Florets few. Corolla yellow, c. 11/2× length of involucre. Achenes beaked, glabrous, whitish; body terete or weakly flattened on 1 side, narrowly obconic, 3–3.5 mm long, with spreading flattened scales on ribs, the distal scales forming a corona; beak slender, c. 5 mm long; pappus white, c. 7 mm long.

[From: Webb et al. (1988) Flora of New Zealand. Volume 4.]

Flowering: Dec.–Mar.; Fruiting: Feb.–Apr.