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Family: Asteraceae Scientific name: Sonchus asper Description: Plant Form: Annual or biennial rosette herb. Size: 20 cm to 2 m tall. Stem: Smooth, green, with a few glandular hairs. Leaves: Up to 20 cm long, entire to dissected, the upper ones with rounded ears at base and pungent spines along the edges. Flowers: Dandelion-like, yellow flowerheads 5-6 mm across, with naked or glandular leaves underneath. Fruit and Seeds: 2-3 mm long, flattened, with three ribs on surface, and parachuting hairs up to 9 mm long. Habitat: Roadsides, cultivated areas, disturbed land. Distinguishing Features: Differs from Common sowthistle (Sonchus oleraceus) in its more leathery and prickly leaves with rounded ears at base, and from native Dune sowthistle (Sonchus megalocarpus) in having spiny leaf edges.
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