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Crepis capillaris

Smooth hawksbeard

Blüten und Früchte (CC0) AnRo0002

Short Description

The smooth hawksbeard can grow up to one metre high.

The leaves near the ground form a rosette and are lobed. Their surface is bare or covered with a few hairs. The upper leaves sit on the stem and are arrow-shaped at the base.

The stem is usually not very branched but lacticiferous.

At first glance, the flower head can be mistaken for the flower. However, it is a pseudo flower. It consists of numerous individual yellow ray florets. The green outermost involucral bract surrounding the flower head are usually shorter than the rest of the involucral bract.

The plant forms small, nut-like fruits with a ring of hairs.

Features

Smooth hawksbeard

Crepis capillaris

  • yellow flower heads

  • bearing latex-like juice (lacticiferous)

Similar species

Rough hawksbeard

Crepis biennis
The yellow flower heads are larger. They have a diameter of 2 to 3.5 cm.

Common hawkweed

Hieracium lachenalii
The small green involucral bract surrounding the yellow flower heads are of equal length and are usually in many rows.
Blütenstand (CC BY-SA 2.0) Jason Hollinger

In the city

In the city, the smooth hawksbeard is often found on park meadows and in roadside greenery.

Fun Facts

  • The stem can be cooked as a vegetable.

  • The flowering period is from May to September.

  • It is an annual plant. This means the plant lives for one year, flowers and dies after the seeds have ripened.

  • Pollination is carried out by insects.

  • Endangerment level Germany: not endangered

  • The genus name "Crepis" is derived from the Latin "crepida" = "shoe sole" and "capillaris" = "hair".

  • The young leaves can be eaten as a salad.

Habitus (CC BY-SA 3.0) Michael Becker

Sources

Blüten und Früchte, AnRo0002, CC0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:20170703Chondrilla_juncea10.jpg

Blütenstand, Jason Hollinger, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Smooth_Hawksbeard_(1047592171).jpg

Habitus, Michael Becker, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Crepis_capillaris_2005.07.10_09.09.34.jpg

Page „Kleinköpfiger Pippau“. : Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Date of last revision: 19.11.2016, 16:32 UTC. URL: https://de.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Kleink%C3%B6pfiger_Pippau&oldid=159848587 (Accessed: 14.06.2017).

Eggenberg, S. & Möhl, A. (2007) Flora Vegetativa: Ein Bestimmungsbuch für Pflanzen der Schweiz im blütenlosen Zustand, Bern, Stuttgart, Wien: Haupt Verlag.

Jäger, E. J. (2011) Rothmaler - Exkursionsflora von Deutschland. Gefäßpflanzen: Grundband, Heidelberg: Spektrum Akademischer Verlag.

Kammer, P. M. (2016) Pflanzen einfach bestimmen. Schritt für Schritt einheimische Arten kennenlernen, Bern: Haupt Verlag.

Bundesamt für Naturschutz (n.d.) Artensteckbriefe, URL: http://floraweb.de/pflanzenarten/artenhome.xsql?suchnr=1716& (Accessed: 14.06.2017).