Hypochaeris

Catsear ( Hypochaeris radicata )

The piglets herbs ( Hypochaeris ) constitute a genus of sunflower family ( Asteraceae). They were formerly often called Hypochoeris.

Description

The species of the genus are one-, two-year or perennial herbaceous plants reach a height of up to 60 centimeters. They form taproots. The stems are usually solitary or few and are usually branched. The leaves are arranged lanceolate to oblong or elliptic, undivided to pinnately lobed, mostly basal and rosette. The stem leaves are few or absent.

The heads are available individually or too few. Like all representatives of Cichorioideae have the Hypochaeris only ray florets. These are mostly yellowish, the outer ones are often streaked with red or green on the outside. The bracts are uniseriate to imbricate. The head is flat ground, the chaff leaves are obsolete and easily detached. The achenes are usually cylindrical. All Hypochaeris form of a pappus, the individual hairs are clearly pinnate.

The plants carry milk juice.

System

The genus is closely related to the lion's teeth and contains about 60 species, including in Central Europe:

• Bald Cat's Ear ( Hypochaeris glabra L.)
• Spotted Cat's Ear ( Hypochaeris maculata L.)
• Catsear ( Hypochaeris radicata L.)
• Einköpfiges Cat's Ear ( Hypochaeris uniflora Vill. )

In the Mediterranean region there are the following additional types (selection):

• Hypochaeris achyrophorus L.
• Hypochaeris cretensis (L.) Bory & Chaub.
• Hypochaeris laevigata (L.) Ces. et al.
• Hypochaeris robertia ( Sch.Bip. ) Fiori
• Hypochaeris salzmanniana DC.
• Hypochaeris tenuiflora ( Boiss. ) Boiss., Is only found on Crete.

Pictures

Spotted Cat's Ear (H. maculata )

Einköpfiges Cat's Ear (H. uniflora )