Italian Hawksbeard

Crepis bursifolia is identified by the dense basal rosettes of glabrous, lyrate leaves with dentate lateral lobes and relatively large terminal lobes, relatively few heads on slender peduncles, and cypselae with relatively thin beaks two times lengths of the bodies. It is an aggressive weed.

Perennials, 5–35 cm (taproots stout, caudices covered by old leaf bases). Stems 2–9+, arcuate or decumbent, slender, scapiform, cymosely branched distally, glabrous. Leaves mostly basal; petiolate; blades oblanceolate, lyrate, 2.5–25 × 0.5–6 cm, margins pinnately lobed (lateral lobes lanceolate, dentate, acute, terminal lobes usually larger), apices obtuse or acute, faces glabrous. Heads 2–3 (peduncles slender), in cymiform arrays. Calyculi of 10–14, (lax) linear, tomentose or glandular-pubescent bractlets 2–5 mm. Involucres cylindric, 8–11 × 3–4 mm. Phyllaries 10–12 (reflexed, medially yellowish) lanceolate (bases keeled, margins dark greenish, sometimes scarious), apices acute (ciliate), abaxial faces tomentulose, adaxial with fine hairs. Florets 30–60; corollas light yellow, greenish abaxially, 10–11 mm. Cypselae pale brown, fusiform, 6–7 mm, beaked, beaks pale (lengths nearly 2 times bodies), ribs 10; pappi white, 3–4 mm. 2n = 8.

Crepis bursifolia, commonly known as Italian hawksbeard, is a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae. It is native to southern Europe (Spain, France, Italy, Malta, Greece), as well as being sparingly naturalized in California (primarily in the hills east of San Francisco Bay, but with a few collections from open spots in urban areas inside the Cities of Oakland and San Francisco).

Crepis bursifolia is a perennial herb up to 35 cm (14 inches) tall. One plant can produce as many as 10 flower heads, each with up to 60 yellow ray florets but no disc florets.