Ox tongue

Family: Asteraceae
Scientific name: Helminthotheca echioides
Description: Plant Form: Annual to perennial rosette herb. Size: Up to 100 cm tall. Stem: Branching, covered in stiff hairs. Contains a milky latex sap. Leaves: Oval to lance or spear-shaped. Rosette leaves larger, up to 35 cm long. With wavy or toothed edges. Covered in spine-like hairs which emerge from small tuber-like growths. Flowers: Yellow, umbrella like circular cluster about 2 cm across with strap-like petals, typical of flatweed type daisies. Fruit and Seeds: Dry single-seeded with parachuting hairs which giving a dome like appearance to the fruiting head. Habitat: Disturbed areas, roadsides, bare ground, lawns, riparian areas. Distinguishing Features: Spike-like hairs which emerge from tuber-like growths on the leaves distinguish from lookalike Flatweeds (Hypochaeris species). Weed Status: Other Weed Weed Type: Environmental, Common Lifeform: Herbaceous

Example images for this weed