Hedypnois cretica
Encyclopedia
Hedypnois cretica is a species of flowering plant in the daisy family
known as Crete weed and Cretanweed. It is native to the Mediterranean Basin
, but it can be found on other continents where it is an introduced species
and in many areas a noxious weed. It is a common weed of the southwestern United States from California
to Texas
and into northern Mexico. This is a bristly annual herb reaching maximum heights approaching 40 centimeters and somewhat like a dandelion in appearance. It starts from a wide basal rosette of green to purplish leaves, the longest near 18 centimeters. It then bolts an erect or drooping stem bearing single flower heads
or inflorescence
s of several heads. The head has rows of phyllaries
that may be very bristly, and the head is egg-shaped when still closed. On blooming the head bursts with concentric rows of yellow ligules with toothed ends.
Asteraceae
The Asteraceae or Compositae , is an exceedingly large and widespread family of vascular plants. The group has more than 22,750 currently accepted species, spread across 1620 genera and 12 subfamilies...
known as Crete weed and Cretanweed. It is native to the Mediterranean Basin
Mediterranean Basin
In biogeography, the Mediterranean Basin refers to the lands around the Mediterranean Sea that have a Mediterranean climate, with mild, rainy winters and hot, dry summers, which supports characteristic Mediterranean forests, woodlands, and scrub vegetation...
, but it can be found on other continents where it is an introduced species
Introduced species
An introduced species — or neozoon, alien, exotic, non-indigenous, or non-native species, or simply an introduction, is a species living outside its indigenous or native distributional range, and has arrived in an ecosystem or plant community by human activity, either deliberate or accidental...
and in many areas a noxious weed. It is a common weed of the southwestern United States from California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
to Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
and into northern Mexico. This is a bristly annual herb reaching maximum heights approaching 40 centimeters and somewhat like a dandelion in appearance. It starts from a wide basal rosette of green to purplish leaves, the longest near 18 centimeters. It then bolts an erect or drooping stem bearing single flower heads
Head (botany)
The capitulum is considered the most derived form of inflorescence. Flower heads found outside Asteraceae show lesser degrees of specialization....
or inflorescence
Inflorescence
An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches. Strictly, it is the part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are formed and which is accordingly modified...
s of several heads. The head has rows of phyllaries
Bract
In botany, a bract is a modified or specialized leaf, especially one associated with a reproductive structure such as a flower, inflorescence axis, or cone scale. Bracts are often different from foliage leaves. They may be smaller, larger, or of a different color, shape, or texture...
that may be very bristly, and the head is egg-shaped when still closed. On blooming the head bursts with concentric rows of yellow ligules with toothed ends.