Sonchus maritimus

Sonchus maritimus is a perennial herb in the Asteraceae family, native to coastal and saline inland habitats across the Mediterranean basin and parts of Europe. It develops a stout, branching rhizome from which arise erect, glabrous, somewhat glaucous stems reaching 30 to 80 centimetres in height. The leaves are linear-lanceolate to oblong, fleshy and slightly succulent in response to saline soils, with entire or remotely toothed margins and a clasping base. Basal leaves form loose rosettes while stem leaves are reduced upwards. Inflorescences are corymbose clusters of yellow ligulate flower heads about 2 centimetres across, each composed entirely of ray florets surrounded by imbricate, glabrous involucral bracts. Flowering occurs from late spring through summer. The fruits are flattened, ribbed achenes crowned with a pappus of fine, white, simple bristles that facilitate wind dispersal. The species favours salt marshes, brackish meadows and damp saline depressions.