Family |
Asteraceae
Scorzonera meyeri
(K.Koch) Lipsch.
Scorzonera meyeri (K.Koch) Lipsch.
(Flora Azerbaĭdzhana 8: 518, 1961. First described as S. hispanica var. meyeri K.Koch, 1849)
• Life-form & habit: Perennial, green or greenish-grey, more or less pubescent or often glabrous, with thick root; root collar branched, covered with brown sheaths of slightly divided basal leaves. Stems scape-like, (3)5–15(20) cm tall, few or solitary.
• Leaves: Mostly basal, half as long to as long as stem, pinnatisect or entire (var. integrifolia Trautv.); lateral segments remote, linear, acuminate; terminal segment oblong-linear. Cauline leaves reduced, 2–3(–5), linear, often entire.
• Inflorescence & flowers: Capitula solitary at apices of stem (rarely branches), large, (1.5)1.8–2(2.5) cm long × 1–1.2 cm wide at flowering. Involucre pubescent, later glabrescent; bracts dark-coloured, especially at apex; outer bracts lanceolate, often corniculate at apex, ⅓–½ as long as oblong-lanceolate inner bracts. Ligulate florets yellow (drying light lilac), 1.5–2× longer than involucre.
• Fruit: Achenes slender, terete, 9–10 mm, with thin longitudinal ribs, narrowed into a 1(–2) mm stalk; pappus rusty or dirty white, slightly shorter than or equalling achene, bristles sparsely plumose and finely barbed above.
• Phenology: Flowers June–August.
• Habitat & elevation: Mountain steppes, rocky slopes, and open grasslands; typically 1,500–2,800 m.
• Lebanese distribution: High mountains: Jabal Sannine, Jabal Makmel, Jabal Kneissé, Fnaidek (Akkar), Tannourine, Chouf, and Mount Hermon.
• Native range: Iran, Lebanon–Syria, North Caucasus, Transcaucasus, Türkiye. (KEW)