Home Asteraceae Hypochaeris

Hypochaeris radicata L.

Common Name: CAT'S-EAR
Coefficient of Conservatism: *
Coefficient of Wetness: 3
Wetness Index: FACU
Physiognomy: Ad P-Forb

Native in Europe and neighboring regions. A weed of lawns, roadsides, vacant lots, fields, especially in sandy soils; occasionally in prairie remnants and forested areas. A lawn weed in Ingham Co. as early as 1886 but not collected again in Michigan until 1915 (Kent and Oakland Cos.); started spreading quite rapidly in the 1960’s.

The stem is usually branched, with a few yellow heads on long pedicels. In this respect, the plants resemble Scorzoneroides autumnalis. The pappus consists of two rows of hairs, the outer shorter and sparsely if at all plumose (as in all but the outermost flowers of Leontodon saxatilis). The pappus of S. autumnalis consists of one row of plumose hairs, and the receptacle lacks the elongate, slender-tipped chaffy scales conspicuous in Hypochaeris.

R. Schipper

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Counties
Alger
Allegan
Baraga
Barry
Benzie
Berrien
Calhoun
Cass
Chippewa
Crawford
Emmet
Gogebic
Grand Traverse
Gratiot
Houghton
Ingham
Ionia
Isabella
Kalamazoo
Kalkaska
Kent
Keweenaw
Lake
Leelanau
Lenawee
Luce
Mackinac
Marquette
Mason
Mecosta
Muskegon
Newaygo
Oakland
Oceana
Ontonagon
Ottawa
Schoolcraft
Van Buren
Washtenaw

Citation:
MICHIGAN FLORA ONLINE. A. A. Reznicek, E. G. Voss, & B. S. Walters. February 2011. University of Michigan. Web. March, 15, 2025
https://lsa-miflora-p.lsait.lsa.umich.edu/#/record/379