Higher classification Cat's ear | Scientific name Hypochaeris glabra Rank Species | |
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Similar Cat's ear, Daisy family, Flatweed, Spotted cat's‑ear, Centaurea melitensis | ||
Hypochaeris glabra is a species of flowering plant in the dandelion tribe within the daisy family known by the common name smooth cat's ear. It is native to Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East but it can be found on other continents where it is an introduced species and a widespread weed. It has become widespread in Africa, southern and southeastern Asia, Australia, and parts of the Americas (especially California).
Hypochaeris glabra is an annual herb growing a small taproot, a basal rosette of leaves, and one or more thin stems 10 to 40 centimeters (4-16 inches) tall. The leaves are 2 to 10 centimeters (0.8-4.0 inches) long, smooth along the edges or with small lobes, and green in color, sometimes with a purplish tint near the veins. Atop the thin, naked stems are flower heads with small overlapping purple-tipped phyllaries and bright yellow ray florets. The fruit is a cylindrical achene with a white pappus almost a centimeter (0.4 inches) long.
