Crepis L.

Ghazanfar, S. A., Edmondson, J. R. & Hind, D. J. N. (Eds). (2019). Flora of Iraq, Volume 6: Compositae.Kew Publishing

Morphology General Habit

Annual, biennial or perennial herbs, scapose or with leafy stems, erect or ascending, glabrous or with a variable indumentum on vegetative parts and phyllaries ranging from canescent or tomentose to setose, or of simple or glandular hairs

Morphology Leaves

Leaves simple and toothed to pinnately, sometimes runcinately, lobed

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Capitulum

Capitula solitary to many; phyllaries bi- or multiseriate, outer shorter than inner and sometimes distinct in texture and attitude, inner indurate in fruit in some species, developing corky thickenings of dorsal surface particularly along midrib; receptacle naked or short-ciliate or with long setae or paleae, these remaining after achenes have fallen

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets

Florets few to numerous, tube hairy, ray glabrous; styles yellow or greenish-black; corollas yellow (in Iraq)

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Achenes all uniform or dimorphic, fusiform, beaked or attenuate or truncate, longitudinally ribbed, outer occasionally much modified and enclosed by inner phyllaries; pappus normally white and very fine, setae minutely barbellate, coherent at base, exserted from involucre at maturity or included, persistent or caducous.

Distribution

A large genus with over 200 species worldwide of which 11 occur in Iraq.

Etymology

Crepis (from Gr. κρεπις, krepis, a boot, foundation or pedestal; used by Theophrastus for a plant which is believed to be Picris echioides).

Compositae, G. V. Pope. Flora Zambesiaca 6:1. 1992

Morphology General Habit

Perennial (annual or biennial) herbs, subscapose from semi-woody rootstocks in the Flora Zambesiaca area, or caulescent, hispid or glandular-setose sometimes also tomentellous, or glabrous.

Morphology Stem

Stems or flowering stalks erect, 1-several.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves radical and rosulate, or cauline and alternate, entire to coarsely toothed (or pinnatifid).

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Capitulum

Capitula solitary, or few to many corymbosely (paniculately) arranged.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Involucre

Involucres cylindric-campanulate.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Phyllaries

Phyllaries 2-several-seriate, the inner often thickening or carinate and longer than the outer in friuting capitula.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Receptacle

Receptacle epaleate, pitted, fimbrilliferous.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets

Florets numerous, yellow, rarely white or pink; ligules usually longer than the tube; anthers sagittate at the base, auricles acute or shortly setaceous-acuminate; style branches long slender, sweeping-hairs medium to long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Achenes homomorphic, subterete, sometimes attenuate into an apical beak, uniformly many-ribbed.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Pappus 1-many-seriate of shortly barbellate, persistent (deciduous) setae.

Compositae, H. Beentje, C. Jeffrey & D.J.N. Hind. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 2005

Morphology General Habit

Perennial (less often annual or biennial) herbs

Morphology Leaves

Leaves mostly rosulate

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Capitulum

Capitula solitary or corymbose; involucre cylindric-campanulate; phyllaries unequal, the outermost short and often extending down the stalk, the inner in two series, often becoming keeled and slightly inflated proximally; receptacle naked, rarely fimbriate or paleate

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets

Florets many; corolla usually yellow or white; anthers sagittate, the auricles acute or acuminate; style branches long, slender

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Achenes lengthening considerably after anthesis, becoming narrowly terete or fusiform, many-ribbed, distally attenuate or with a long beak; pappus of barbellate bristles.