牛膝菊 niu xi ju

Plants 4-60 cm. Leaf blade 7-110 × 3-70(-80) mm. Peduncles 1-40 mm; involucres campanulate, 2.5-5 mm in diam.; phyllaries persistent; outer paleae persistent with distal inner phyllaries or deciduous, elliptic to obovate, inner usually persistent, lanceolate to ovate or obovate, 2-3.5 mm, 3-lobed, lobes to 1/3+ total lengths, acute. Ray florets (3-)5(-8); corollas usually dull white or pink, lamina 0.5-1.8 × 0.7-1.5 mm. Disk florets 15-50. Ray achenes 1.5-2.5 mm; pappus absent or of 5-10 laciniate scales 0.5-1 mm; disk achenes 1.3-2.5 mm, glabrous or strigose; pappus absent or of 15-20 gray, sometimes white, linear, fimbriate, obtuse or acute scales 0.5-2 mm. Fl. Jul-Oct. 2n = 16.

Fields, streamsides, sparse forests. A common weed widely distributed in China [native to South America].