Volume 13 > Part 2 > Year 2016 > Page 395 > Compositae (Asteraceae) > Sonchus

1. Sonchus oleraceus L.wfo-0000069236

Sp. Pl. 2: 794. 1753; Backer & Bakh.f., Fl. Java 2: 435. 1965; Grierson, Revis. Handb. Fl. Ceylon 1: 273. 1980; Gould in Hara, Chater & Williams, ed., Enum. Fl. Pl. Nepal 3: 43. 1982; H.Koyama, Bull. Natl. Sci. Mus., Tokyo, B 27(4): 147. 2001; Grierson & D.G.Long, Fl. Bhutan 2(3): 1480. 2001; C.Shih & N.Kilian, Fl. China 20–21: 242. 2011.

Accepted Name : This is currently accepted.

Synonyms & Citations :

Description : Annual or biennial herb, 0.5–1.1 m tall, without rhizome, nearly glabrous; stems erect, hollow, often branched from base, or above, branches ending in inflorescences. Leaves basal and cauline; basal leaves ovate, median leaves oblong, 8–17 by 4–8 cm, pinnately partite to runcinate-pinnatifid, 1–3 pairs of lateral segments, 1–5 cm long, and terminal segment large deltoid or hastate, 3–10 cm wide, apex acute, base auriculate, amplexicaul, spreading, margins coarsely dentate, both surfaces glabrous. Inflorescences corymbiform with 10 to 20 capitula; peduncles 0.5–4 cm long, stipitate-glandular hairy or eglandular, glabrous. Capitula ca 2 cm diam. when flowering; involucres campanulate, 11–13 by 6–8 mm; phyllaries 3- or 4-seriate, imbricate, inner linear-lanceolate, membranous, 1.0–1.2 cm long, glabrous (or cottony in bud), sometimes glandular; receptacle slightly convex, areolate, naked. Florets ca 160 per capitulum, bisexual; ligule pale-yellow, angular-obovate, 5–6 by ca 1.2 mm, basal tube 6–7 mm long, densely white pubescent. Achenes narrowly obovate, 2.5–3 mm long, brown, compressed, 3-ribbed on each face, transversely rugose with scaberulous ribs; pappus of capillary bristles, 7–8 mm long, snowy-white.

Thailand : NORTHERN: Chiang Mai (Doi Chiang Dao), Chiang Rai (Doi Tung).

Distribution : Widespread weed of European origin.

Ecology : Uncommon in Thailand, by roadsides near cultivated ground in mountainous areas, 1,500–1,800 m alt. Flowering: March–November.

Vernacular : Phakkat hom (ผักกาดหอม)(Central); phakkat hang kai (ผักกาดหางไก่)(Pattani).