Tolpis barbata (L.) Gaertn.

Annual herb. Stems erect or ascending, branched above, ribbed, glabrous or with cobwebby hairs, 5–45–(100) cm tall. Lvs with short eglandular hairs, petiolate or cuneate to base. Rosette and lower stem lvs linear-oblanceolate, shallowly pinnatifid or dentate, acute, 20–125 × 4–25 mm. Upper lvs linear- lanceolate, entire or toothed, the uppermost filiform. Capitula on curved thickened peduncles, the axillary peduncles overtopping the terminal capitula. Involucre 10–15 mm long; bracts with cobwebby tomentum, filiform with thickened midrib; outer bracts spreading or erecto-patent, = or > inner; inner bracts erect. Corolla usually yellow, sometimes purple at base, rarely purple, c. 11/2× length of involucre; tube < ligule. Achenes narrowly obconic, 4-angled, dark, 1–1.5 mm long, flat at apex; outer row of achenes pubescent with pappus of only short hairs c. 0.3 mm long; inner achenes glabrous with pappus of short hairs and (2)–4 long bristles 3–4 mm long.

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

Flowering: Nov.–Mar.; Fruiting: Nov.–Mar.