Bristly Oxtongue - Helminthotheca echioides

Medium to tall bristly plant, each bristle arising from a pimple. Stems well branched. Leaves elliptical to oblong, wavy edged, pimply and bristly with winged stalks, upper leaves unstalked and clasping the stem. Flowers yellow 20 to 25 mm numerous, florets all rayed, flower bracts with bristly margins, the outer heart shaped. Papus white.

Rough grassy places, stream sides, waste places.

June to November.

Annual or biennial.

Locally common in lowland England especially near to the sea.

Fairly frequent and probably increasing in Leicestershire and Rutland. In the 1979 Flora survey of Leicestershire it was found in 18 of the 617 tetrads.